Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-05

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 5.0)

The diagram provides the detailed workflow for building a water clock.

Overall, there are several steps for manufacturing the water clock as well as tap on, cover hole with finger, fill top bottle to overflow and other procedures we will discuss further to write a report for a university professor. Furthermore, picture provides a detailed visual structure to build our own water clock.

In the beggining, the drops of water filled the plastic bottle via tap. There is a small hole insert with the straw and fixed through a glue and a tape wraps around the plastic bottle to fix it with the stand despite this there is another little puncture in the base of the plastic bottle. Additionaly,

in the penultimate step of the process in which water flows in the plastic bottle which measure the levels of the water per minute. In the last step, container becomes empty and then repeat the process to track the time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe the process of making a water clock, but it addresses the task only partially. While it mentions some general elements of the diagram, it includes inappropriate personal commentary and instructions meant for the reader, such as 'procedures we will discuss further to write a report for a university professor.' Furthermore, the coverage of the distinct sequential steps is inadequate and underdeveloped. Important features of the process, such as the upper and lower bottles, the straw overflow, and the calibration lines, are either missed or described in a fragmented and unclear manner, keeping the response at a minimal level of task fulfilment.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some basic organisation attempted through introductory and concluding remarks, but the text lacks a clear overall progression. Paragraphing is used, yet the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed due to awkward transitions and conversational asides, such as 'Furthermore, picture provides...'. Cohesive devices are sometimes used mechanically or inaccurately, and referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the logical sequence of the seven stages in the diagram. Ideas are grouped loosely rather than progressing smoothly from one step of the manufacturing and testing process to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task. The writer attempts some topic-specific terms like 'workflow', 'plastic bottle', and 'straw', but encounters noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word form, such as 'In the beggining' (spelling error), 'hole insert with the straw', and 'plastic bottle which measure the levels'. These lexical inaccuracies and occasional spelling mistakes cause some difficulty for the reader and reveal a restricted range of vocabulary that lacks the precision required for academic process descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response shows a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences or faulty attempts at complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('provides the detailed workflow', 'via tap'), incorrect prepositions ('fixed through a glue'), and subject-verb agreement issues ('container becomes empty and then repeat'). These errors require the reader to decode the meaning and occasionally strain comprehension, reflecting a heavy reliance on basic patterns with persistent inaccuracies.

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