Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the process for making a water clock.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN WATER CLOCK

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagram represents the information about the process of making a water clock.

Overall, this report is for a university lecturer, it requires a water source, a beaker, 2 plastic bottle, a straw, tape, a stand and glue. It consists 7 stages.

To make the water clock place the water bottle on the top of the stand and secure it with tape, drill a hole and place a straw in it. Cut the second from the top to give it a shape of a beaker, then place the bottle below it.

To make it working 1st stage of the process is turn on the tap fill the bottle to overflow. Secondly cover the hole with finger made at the bottom of the bottle. After that measure the level of the water in the container collected below per minute. Empty the beaker and repeat the process to measure the timing of the process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the required materials, the explanation of the actual construction and operation is a bit disjointed. For instance, the instruction 'Cut the second from the top' is unclear as it does not specify what is being cut. To reach a higher band, you need to provide a more detailed and logical step-by-step account of the diagram, ensuring that the relationship between the components (the stand, the bottles, and the beaker) is clearly explained for the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The report is divided into paragraphs, which helps with organization. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes abrupt. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'To make...' and 'Secondly'. The transition between the construction phase and the operational phase could be smoother. Additionally, some sentences lack clear referencing; for example, 'Cut the second from the top' is ambiguous because it is unclear which object is being referred to. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. You rely on basic verbs like 'make', 'place', and 'give'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'make it working' instead of 'make it work' or 'operate it'. To improve, try to incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to diagrams and processes, such as 'assemble', 'secure', 'calibrate', or 'measure the flow rate'. The current range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but does not demonstrate flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally affect clarity. For example, 'it consists 7 stages' is missing a preposition ('of'), and 'the 1st stage of the process is turn on' should be 'is to turn on'. There are also issues with article usage and sentence construction, such as '2 plastic bottle' (should be plural). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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