Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-20

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 5.0)

The diagram outlines the stages of how to build our own water clock.

Overall, there are several steps followed where the plastic bottle is attached to stand by tape and the process begins with opening tap and covering the hole done on oposite side and let it fill to overflow. Next, level constant and finger away from hole anf let it transfer to another plastic bottle with neck cut off. Followed by the water is measured every minute and finally empty the bottle and repeat process for timings things.

There are two water plastic bottles one which is attached to the stand with tape while the other bottle is neck cut off. Firstly, the tap is opened and then cover the hole with fingeer and let the water fill untill overflow. There is a hole made where straw is attached with glue at the top, for the water overflow. Once the level is constant remove the finger from the hole and let it transfer to other bottle where the level every minute is measured. Finally, once the level is measured empty the bottle and repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to describe the process of making and operating a water clock, covering the main steps outlined in the diagram such as attaching the bottle to the stand, filling it, managing the overflow via the straw, and measuring water levels every minute. However, the response lacks a well-developed overview, merely stating that 'there are several steps followed'. Furthermore, the description of the sequence is somewhat confused and repetitive, particularly in the transition between the introductory overview and the body details. While all parts of the task are touched upon, the information is not fully or clearly elaborated, aligning it with Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is divided into an introduction and a body paragraph, but the paragraphing is poorly handled, with the second paragraph being an overly long, dense block of text that re-hashes information already mentioned in the overview. Cohesive devices are basic and repetitive, relying heavily on words like 'Firstly', 'Next', and 'Finally'. There is also faulty referencing and mechanical sequencing, such as 'let it transfer to another plastic bottle', which makes the progression disjointed and difficult to follow smoothly. Overall cohesion requires significant improvement, justifying a score of 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates a limited but minimally adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a simple process, using terms like 'plastic bottle', 'straw', 'tap', and 'hole'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'oposité' (spelled 'oposite'), 'fingeer', and awkward phrasing like 'timing things' instead of 'measuring time'. Less common lexical items are attempted but handled with inaccuracy, resulting in noticeable errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. This corresponds to Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures are frequently faulty. There are multiple grammatical errors, including missing articles ('attached to stand', 'opening tap'), incorrect verb forms ('let it fill to overflow', 'cover the hole with fingeer'), and run-on sentences lacking appropriate punctuation. For instance, 'Once the level is constant remove the finger from the hole and let it transfer to other bottle where the level every minute is measured' lacks necessary commas. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader, placing the grammar at Band 5.

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