Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-21

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 diagram illustrates the process to make a water clock. To build your own water clock, the procedure is given below;

Overall, there are seven major stages following the tap on, cover hole with finger, fill top bottle to overflow, level constant, finger away from the hole, levels per minute, empty and repeat process for timing things.

The step starts with an opened tap to fill a plastic bottle, with is pasted using a tape with a stand, and attach a straw while making a hole to pass the straw through its space, also pinch and make a hole beneath the bottle, fill it until it overflows and till then put your finger to seal the hole. As the water level reached the straw and it starts flowing through the straw, remove the finger from the hole underneath the bottle. Attach another plastic bottle with its neck cut off with the stand and start measuring the level of water dropping into it while marking the particular measurement. Likewise, empty the bottle and again repeat the same scenario for a different time calculation.

Thus, this is the principle on which the water clock works.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student attempts to describe the process of making a water clock, covering the seven stages outlined in the diagram. However, the overview is poorly constructed, merely listing the step titles verbatim rather than summarizing the overall mechanism (e.g., 'tap on, cover hole with finger, fill top bottle...'). The main body attempts to trace the sequence of actions, such as 'attach a straw while making a hole... fill it until it overflows', but the description is convoluted and misses several key structural details shown in the diagram, such as the vertical stand and the calibration markings on the lower bottle. The response meets the minimum length requirement, but the lack of a proper overview and some confused steps limit its score to Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into a brief introduction, a single long block for the body paragraph, and a concluding sentence. There is a lack of clear paragraphing to separate the preparation phase from the operational phase. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical or misused, such as 'till then put your finger', 'As the water level reached', and 'Thus, this is the principle'. The progression of ideas becomes difficult to follow in the dense body paragraph due to a lack of clear signposting and punctuation. Referencing is occasionally unclear, which disrupts the flow and requires the reader to work harder to understand the sequence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student uses an adequate vocabulary to describe everyday objects and actions, such as 'plastic bottle', 'straw', 'tap', 'hole', and 'finger'. However, attempts at less common or more precise vocabulary lead to awkward collocations and lexical errors, such as 'pasted using a tape with a stand', 'pass the straw through its space', and 'time calculation'. There are also issues with word forms, such as 'opened tap' instead of 'open tap'. While communication is not severely impeded, the range of vocabulary remains limited and repetitive, preventing the response from reaching Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are run-on sentences and comma splices, particularly in the long body paragraph, such as 'The step starts with an opened tap to fill a plastic bottle, with is pasted using a tape with a stand, and attach a straw while making a hole...'. Errors in prepositions, verb forms ('reached' instead of 'reaches'), and relative pronouns ('with is pasted' instead of 'which is pasted') are frequent. Although some complex structures are attempted, errors frequently cause strain for the reader.

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

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