Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-02

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 following diagram shows the process of building water clock. Water clock is build in almost 7 stages. Following the first stage, the tap is turned on and water starts flowing into plastic bottle. The water bottle is placed on the upper side of stand with the help of a tape. Than cover the hole on the bottom of the bottle with a finger and fill the top of the bottle to overflow. When the level of the water is reached till straw the water level constants as extra water goes out through the straw. After that keep the finger away from the hole which is at the bottom of the bottle. Then the water drops starts flowing in the plastic bottle with the neck cut off which in placed on the bottom with the stand.Check the levels per minutes of the water drops that are flowing from the hole of the above placed plastic bottle. Empty the below placed water bottle with the neck cut of when it fills and repeat the process for timming things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting an account of the diagram without a clear overview of how the water clock operates. While the student outlines several steps from the process, such as turning on the tap and covering the hole, the information is treated as a simple sequence rather than an integrated mechanical process. Key details, such as the role of the straw as an overflow drain and the calibration of the lower bottle, are described in a mechanical and repetitive manner. The response would be improved by selecting and reporting the main features, grouping the stages logically into phases like preparation and measurement, and providing a concise overview of the entire process rather than just listing instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays some organisation, but lacks a clear overall progression. The text is presented as a single continuous block of writing without paragraphing, which makes the sequence of steps harder to follow. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical and repetitive, such as starting multiple sentences with phrases like 'Following the first stage' and 'Then'. Reference words are sometimes unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the below placed water bottle' and 'the above placed plastic bottle', which disrupt the flow of information. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to divide the text into logical paragraphs that separate different phases of the diagram and use a wider, more natural variety of cohesive links to guide the reader smoothly through the process.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for describing the basic actions shown in the diagram. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'constants' and 'timming', but these attempts are marred by word form and spelling errors that occasionally impede communication. There is also a reliance on repetitive and overly simple descriptors, such as 'above placed' and 'below placed', rather than precise academic terminology. To improve, the writer should expand their lexical range with appropriate technical terms related to processes and diagrams, such as 'apparatus', 'container', and 'maintain', while paying closer attention to word forms, spellings, and standard collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and direct imperative-style instructions translated into descriptive clauses. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to noticeable errors such as missing articles ('Water clock is build in almost 7 stages'), incorrect prepositions ('reached till straw'), and awkward subject-verb agreement or tense usage ('the water level constants'). Frequent errors in grammar and punctuation are present throughout the text, which can cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of error-free complex sentence forms, use passive voice appropriately for process descriptions, and ensure accurate use of articles, prepositions, and verb tenses.

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