Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

An ancient device that measures time by regulated flow of water such device is often termed as a water clock. there are 7 stages involved in making of a water clock that we will discuss in upcoming paragraph. firstly we need to kee[p the tap on then cover hole with fingers afterwards, fill top bottle to overflow , subsequently keep the water level constant moving forward keep you fingers away from hole , then check the levels per minute, the last but not the least empty the jar and repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is severely under-length, containing only 95 words compared to the required 150-word minimum, which significantly impacts task completion. While the student attempts to list the seven stages from the diagram ('tap on', 'cover hole with fingers', 'fill top bottle to overflow', etc.), the description is superficial and lacks the required formal academic overview or detailed structural explanation of the equipment shown. Important visual details, such as the upper and lower bottles, the stand, the overflow straw, and the calibration markings, are omitted. Because the word count requirement is not met and the information is only minimally and informally presented, this falls under Band 4.0 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response suffers from poor organization and a lack of proper paragraphing. It consists of a single block of text (aside from a brief introductory sentence), and transitions are overly conversational and mechanical, such as 'that we will discuss in upcoming paragraph', 'firstly', 'moving forward', and 'the last but not the least'. Furthermore, referencing is weak and punctuation is frequently neglected, leading to run-on sentences that make the flow disjointed. While the chronological sequence of the seven numbered stages is maintained, the overall cohesive framework is inadequate, placing it at Band 4.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

Vocabulary usage is basic, repetitive, and informal. The student relies heavily on simple terms from the prompt, such as 'water clock', 'stages', 'bottle', and 'hole'. There are also lexical errors and typos, such as 'regulated flow' (awkward collocation here) and 'kee[p' with bracket errors. Attempts to use less common academic vocabulary are absent, and the overall phrasing resembles spoken English rather than an academic report. This vocabulary range and control is characteristic of Band 4.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical range is extremely limited. The student struggles with sentence boundaries, producing run-on sentences with missing capitalization and punctuation (e.g., 'An ancient device... water clock. there are 7 stages...'). There are also grammatical errors such as missing articles ('cover hole', 'fill top bottle') and structural awkwardness ('keep you fingers away'). Complex sentence structures are virtually non-existent, and basic punctuation rules are frequently ignored, resulting in frequent errors that strain the reader, aligning with Band 4.0.

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

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