Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-29

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)

To build a water clock you need two plastic bottles and a stand. First take one plastic bottle and attach it to the stand with the help of a tape and secure it tightly so it can hold the weight of water. Stick a straw with this with glue. Place this stand under a tap. Then take another plastic bottle and cut it’s neck and place this under the first bottle. Drill a hole on the bottom of first bottle so that the water can pass through from one bottle to another. Now turn on the tap to fill the first bottle to overflow while covering the hole with the finger. When it achieves the constant level, move your finger away so that the water can pass through from upper to lower bottle.Draw levels per minute on the lower bottle. When it gets empty, repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all the main steps required to build the water clock based on the visual data, from gathering materials and assembling the stand, bottles, and straw to operating the device and marking calibration levels. However, the report lacks a formal academic introduction or overview of the process, and it is structured as a single continuous paragraph rather than a well-organised academic report. While the sequence of steps is correctly identified, phrases such as 'take one plastic bottle' and 'move your finger away' adopt an instructional tone rather than an objective, descriptive academic report style. Consequently, the task is addressed adequately for a lower band, but lacks the appropriate register and organisation for higher bands.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The entire response is written as a single block of text without paragraph breaks, which significantly impacts the logical layout and visual cohesion of the report. Although chronological sequencing words like 'First', 'Then', and 'Now' are used to guide the reader through the steps, the lack of paragraphing means the transition from preparation to operation is not clearly demarcated. Referencing is generally clear, with phrases like 'the first bottle' and 'lower bottle', but the overall organisation remains overly simplistic and fails to meet the structural expectations of an academic task.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses a satisfactory range of vocabulary relevant to the process, such as 'plastic bottle', 'stand', 'glue', 'straw', 'overflow', and 'calibration' concepts ('levels per minute'). However, word choice and collocations are basic and repetitive, seen in phrases like 'take one plastic bottle and attach it' and 'pass through from one bottle to another'. There are also minor mechanical phrasing errors, such as 'with the help of a tape' (uncountable noun 'tape'). The lexical range is adequate to convey the instructions, but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as purpose clauses ('so that the water can pass through') and time clauses ('When it achieves the constant level'). Grammatical control is generally fair, though punctuation is weak—specifically the missing space after commas ('with glue. Place', 'finger. When') and a possessive apostrophe error ('cut it’s neck' instead of 'its neck'). Despite these minor errors, sentences are mostly understandable and communication is not impeded, placing the response solidly in the band 6 range for grammar.

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

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