Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-12

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 given image illustrates the labelled diagram of building a water clock.

Overall, process involves total of seven steps with the help of various instruments such as plastic bottle, straw, tape, glue, stand and a pencil to mark the level of water. The process begins with the opening of the tap water into the plastic bottle and ending with the emptying of the bottle to repeat the process.

The diagram shows that a plastic bottle is bound with the stand with the help of tape. Then, a straw is joined near the neck of the bottle with the glue and a another plastic bottle with a neck cut off is placed at the base of stand with the marked level by a pencil.

Initially, the tap is opened to pour the water into the plastic bottle by placing a finger at the bottom hole of a plastic bottle. After water filled at the top of the bottle reaching at the constant level where a straw is joined, uncover the bottom hole and let the water drop into the the plastic bottle. This plastic bottle has mentioned the levels per minute to measure the water level with a pencil. Finally, when all the water is drawn into the plastic bottle through a bottom hole then throw away the water and repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student provides a clear overview of the water clock diagram and highlights the main stages of the process. The introduction outlines what the image illustrates, and an overall summary correctly identifies the total number of steps and the primary equipment needed, such as plastic bottles, a straw, tape, and a pencil. The body paragraphs trace the sequence from pouring water into the top bottle to dropping it into the marked receiver bottle. While all parts of the task are addressed, some details are slightly imprecise or repetitive, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. However, the key features, stages, and instruments are all successfully identified, satisfying the core requirements of Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview paragraph, and concluding with a detailed body paragraph describing the steps. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the sequence, such as 'Overall', 'Initially', 'After', and 'Finally'. However, paragraphing could be improved by separating the detailed steps into distinct stages rather than clumping them into one long paragraph. Additionally, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as 'This plastic bottle has mentioned the levels', which creates slight confusion regarding which bottle is being referred to.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student attempts a range of process-related vocabulary, including terms like 'labelled diagram', 'instruments', 'constant level', and 'per minute'. There are, however, several word choice and collocation errors throughout the response, such as 'opening of the tap water into the plastic bottle' instead of turning on the tap, and 'timing things' instead of measuring time. Spelling is generally accurate, but awkward phrasing prevents the vocabulary from achieving greater precision. The lexical resource is adequate for communicating the steps of the diagram, but lacks the sophistication required for a Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as participial phrases ('by placing a finger at the bottom hole') and time clauses ('when all the water is drawn'). However, there are numerous grammatical inaccuracies and awkward constructions, including missing prepositions and articles (e.g., 'process involves total of seven steps', 'a another plastic bottle'). There are also missing subjects or incorrect verb forms in clauses, such as 'After water filled at the top'. These errors require some effort to decode, though they do not completely impede overall communication.

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

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