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 given diagram illustrates the process of building your own water clock.

At the glance, the model of shows the stages from tap on to measuring and levelling the water per minute.

To start with, to make a water clock.own your own first step is turning on the water tap slightly so water drops dirctly pass through bottles's neck. Seond step, covering the plastic bottles' bottom hole with the use of your finger inorder to fill the bottle to top untill overflowing through straw. After constant flow, remove the finger from the hole.

at the end, measure the levels per minute wi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response is severely under-length, containing only 102 words against the required minimum of 150 words. Because of this, the description of the process is incomplete, abruptly cutting off at the end ("measure the levels per minute wi"). While the writer attempts to outline the main steps from the diagram—such as turning on the tap, covering the hole, and filling the bottle—the lack of length and incomplete conclusion prevent a full overview or proper development of the task. Consequently, it achieves a Band 4.5 level for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The writing attempts a chronological sequence using basic linking phrases like "To start with" and "After constant flow". However, paragraphing is extremely poor, with the entire body of text clumped together into a single, poorly structured set of sentences. The abrupt ending further disrupts the logical flow and progression of information. Cohesive devices are used rather mechanically and inadequately. This aligns with Band 5.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is quite basic and repetitive ("water", "bottle", "process", "hole"). There are also several notable lexical and spelling errors throughout the text, such as "dirctly", "Seond", and "inorder". While the student attempts some topic-specific vocabulary related to the diagram, the limited range and frequent errors impede fluent communication and restrict the score to a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains a very limited range of grammatical structures, and attempts at complex sentences frequently result in serious structural errors and fragments, such as "To start with, to make a water clock.own your own first step is..." and missing verbs. Punctuation is also erratic. Errors are frequent and often cause difficulty for the reader in parsing the intended meaning, corresponding to a Band 4.5.

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

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