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)

This diagram shows that how we make and use a simple water clock to measure periods of time.Overall the process involves seven main stages, beginning with turning on the tap and filling upper bottle and ending with marking time levels in the lower bottle.First the tap is turned on and then placed the finger on the hole of upper bottle and finally bottle filled with water and the extra water flows out through the straw which keeps the water level in the bottle constant.And remove the finger from the hole and allow water to flow downwards into a second plastic bottle.As the water collects in the lower bottle it's level is marked each minute that passes.These markings therefore indicate the amount of time Finally when the timing process is complete, the lower bottle can be emptied and the procedure can be repeated to measure another period of time.And we can easily the time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the mechanism's purpose. While you identify seven stages, the explanation of how the water level is kept constant via the straw is slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure you clearly link the physical actions to the scientific principle of the clock. The summary is present but could be more effectively integrated into the introduction to provide a clearer 'big picture' of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically sequenced, following the chronological order of the diagram. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple connectors like 'First', 'and then', and 'finally'. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to show cause and effect or to transition between the preparation and the actual timing phase. Paragraphing is also absent; the entire response is one block of text, which hinders readability and logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You use basic verbs like 'turned on', 'placed', and 'filled'. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive, process-oriented vocabulary such as 'initiate', 'maintain', 'accumulate', or 'calibrate'. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'it's level' (should be 'its level') and 'we can easily the time' (which is grammatically incomplete and lacks a verb).

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'This diagram shows that how we make' is redundant; 'placed the finger' is missing a subject; and 'it's level' is a common punctuation error. Additionally, the final sentence is incomplete. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement prevent the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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