Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-30

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 6.0)

The process shows making a water clock, showing various steps involved in it's conctruction and operation.

Overall, the process consists of seven main stages, beginning with opening the tap and ending with emptying the plastic bottle.

At the first stage, setup the equipment and on the tap. Next, take a bottle and make a hole at the bottom of the bottle, now cover the hole with finger. Following this, place the bottle under the tap and start filling the bottle until it overflows. After that, the excess water in bottle comes out through a straw which is connected at the neck of the bottle attached with glue, which results in reaching to constant level.

In the next stage, remove the finger away from the hole, the water starts comimg out from the hole. Subsequently, calculate the amount of water in the other bottle measure levels per minute and note down the readings. Finally, empty the top bottle and mark readings and then repeat the process to mark the readings and the process is completed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and describing the main stages of the water clock creation process from start to finish. The overview successfully identifies that there are seven main stages. Key features of the diagram, such as tapping water, controlling flow with a finger, maintaining a constant level using a straw overflow, and calibrating the lower bottle, are all captured. However, the description occasionally reads like a set of instructional commands (e.g., 'setup the equipment', 'take a bottle') rather than an objective academic report describing a visual process, which slightly detracts from the appropriate academic tone required for Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is coherently organised with a clear logical progression overall. It begins with an introductory sentence and a brief overview paragraph, followed by two body paragraphs detailing the sequential steps. Cohesive devices are used to signal time and sequence, such as 'At the first stage', 'Next', 'Following this', 'After that', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction from the body details. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and some transitional links feel slightly mechanical, preventing the response from reaching a higher band score.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying process-related concepts such as 'equipment', 'overflow', 'excess water', and 'calibration readings'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, such as the spelling mistake 'conctruction' and the awkward phrasing 'levels per minute'. The range is somewhat limited, relying heavily on basic descriptive terms rather than sophisticated or less common lexical items appropriate for a university-level academic report. Word choice and collocations are generally clear enough not to impede communication, but remain at a functional level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout, particularly with imperative forms and missing subjects (e.g., 'setup the equipment and on the tap', 'now cover the hole with finger', and 'remove the finger away from the hole'). Punctuation is also flawed in places, such as the comma splice in the opening sentence ('The process shows making a water clock, showing various steps involved in it's conctruction and operation'). While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, their frequency prevents the response from achieving a higher band score.

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