Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-28

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 depicts the sequential process of how to build a water clock.

Overall, there are seven distinct stages, begin with turning on the water tap and culminating in repeating the process for timing things.

Firstly, a empty plastic bottle is required, which is attached to the stand on the top side with the help of tape, while a bottle with no upper body is placed on the bottom side of the stand. Furthermore, then make a hole near the neck side for adding a straw with the help of glue. Therefore, place the bottle just below the tap, turn on the tap while cover the hole with finger, once done then fill the top part of the bottle until overflow. Additionally, fill the water near the straw level, after that remove the finger from the hole from the top side bottle bottom area.

In contrast, water started dripping in the lower bottle, where you can check the level per minute. Consequently, for the reuse you can empty the bottle and repeat the process according to need.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully describes the main stages of the process for making a water clock, covering the seven numbered steps shown in the diagram. The overview identifies the total number of stages and the general purpose of the mechanism. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or confusingly phrased, such as stating 'a empty plastic bottle is required' (where 'an' is needed and the apparatus actually features two bottles) and misinterpreting the straw's overflow function. The description follows the sequence adequately, but lacks some precision in explaining the technical interactions between the components, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. Overall, all parts of the prompt are addressed, fulfilling the basic requirements of Academic Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is arranged logically with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding remark, giving it a coherent overall structure. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'In contrast', and 'Consequently' are utilized to guide the reader through the steps. However, some cohesive links feel mechanical or misused, particularly 'In contrast', which is inappropriate here since the final stages are a continuation of the process rather than a contrast. Paragraphing is attempted, but grouping the entire procedural description into a single dense paragraph weakens the logical flow and organisational clarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range to describe a visual process, employing terms such as 'sequential process', 'distinct stages', 'culminating', and 'apparatus'. However, there are noticeable lexical and grammatical errors in word choices and articles, such as 'a empty plastic bottle' and 'near the neck side'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, and there are repetitive structures regarding how items are attached ('with the help of tape', 'with the help of glue'). The vocabulary is minimally sufficient for the task, but lexical control needs improvement for precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('which is attached to the stand') and conditional/temporal clauses ('once done then fill'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors with articles ('a empty plastic bottle'), prepositions ('on the top side', 'near the neck side'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence fragments or run-on sentences (e.g., 'Therefore, place the bottle just below the tap...'). Punctuation is also occasionally weak, separating clauses incorrectly. These errors cause some mild distraction for the reader, though communication is generally maintained.

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

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