Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-16

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 6.0)

The given diagram illustrates the process for making a water clock. In order to make a water clock, there are total seven stages beginning with opening the tap and ending with emptying the pastic bottle. Moreover, for making a water clock, equipments such as two plastic bottles, a straw, and tape among other tools are required.

Now, in the following paragraph, the process for making a water clock will be discussed.

Opening tap is the first stage. After opening the tap, water will start falling into the plastic bottle, which is attached with a straw. In the second stage, a hole in the plastic bottle must be covered with a finger until the water starts overflowing through the straw, which is the third stage in maiking a water clock. Then at the fourth stage, when the level of water becomes constant, the finger used to cover the whole of the first plastic bottle must be removed. After this stage, water will start dripping to the second plastic bottle, which is placed right under the first plastic bottle as shown in the picture. At this stage, you have to oberserve levels per mintue. For this, a pencil can be used to make notes. Lastly, the second plastic bottle will be emptied and then repeate the whole process. Hence, through the above mentioned procedure, a water clock can be manufactured.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all main steps of the process shown in the diagram, from opening the tap to emptying and repeating the procedure. The response includes a brief overview identifying the core components (two plastic bottles, a straw, tape) and the total number of stages. However, some instructions are framed inappropriately for an academic report (e.g., using second-person pronouns such as "you have to observe" and conversational meta-language like "Now, in the following paragraph"). While the factual information regarding the process is accurate and derived directly from the visual data, the register is occasionally too informal for an academic task 1 response, placing this submission firmly in Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The text maintains a coherent overall arrangement with logical sequencing of the steps from stage 1 to stage 7. Cohesive devices are used to link stages together (e.g., "After opening the tap", "Then at the fourth stage", "After this stage"). However, paragraphing is poorly managed; the response includes unnecessary meta-commentary separating the brief introduction and an inappropriate single-sentence transitional paragraph ("Now, in the following paragraph..."), followed by a block paragraph containing the entire body. The lack of standard report paragraph structure limits the score to Band 6.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully identifying equipment such as plastic bottles, a straw, tape, and a pencil. There are a few spelling and word-choice errors, such as "pastic" instead of plastic, "equipments" (equipment is uncountable), "maiking", and "oberserve" instead of observe. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to process description ("manufactured", "procedure"), but overall lexical control is inconsistent with minor slips that occur throughout the response. This performance fits the Band 6 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ("...plastic bottle, which is attached with a straw") and conditional structures. There are several grammatical and mechanical errors, including missing articles ("Opening tap"), incorrect preposition usage ("attached with a straw" instead of "attached to"), and spelling mistakes. Furthermore, punctuation errors appear, such as spelling "minute" as "mintue" and a typo in "whole" instead of "hole". Despite these errors, meaning is rarely impeded, and communication remains clear, justifying a Band 6 score.

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