Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-06

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 given figure illustrates a process of making a water clock. The process includes a total 7 different stages and the equipments used are Tap, plastic bottle, tape, stand, straw and glue.

Firstly, the plastic bottle is cutted into two parts, the upper part with bottle neck is attached to the stand with the help of tape and the height when the bottle neck start changing shape a straw is inserted and stick with glue to maintain the water level in the bottle. In addition, the lower half of the bottle is placed on the base of the stand.

Furthermore, first step is to start the tap and fill the bottle by covering the base with your fingers. Then wait until the water reaches the level of straw to remove the access water and keep the water level maintened. Then remove your finger from the bottle and let the water drop into the lower half and with a marker mark the water level per minute.

Making the bottle empty and repeat this process again and again as the 7th step and the water clock is ready which is used to mark timings for different things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main components of the process for making a water clock, outlining the materials and sequential stages from preparing the plastic bottle to marking the timing intervals. However, the explanation remains somewhat limited and mechanical, presenting a series of steps without fully developing the overview or providing a comprehensive, integrated account of how the apparatus functions together. For example, details regarding the precise interaction between the overflow straw and the calibration process are slightly underdeveloped. To move to a higher band, the report would need a clearer overall summary of the process at the beginning or end, and a more fully extended description of how the mechanisms operate in tandem to measure time accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text demonstrates a basic overall organization with paragraph breaks that attempt to separate the introduction, materials, and sequential steps. However, the progression of ideas lacks complete clarity and fluidity. Cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of transition words like 'Firstly', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' to link sentences. Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the height when the bottle neck start changing shape', which disrupts the logical flow between clauses. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to employ a wider range of sophisticated cohesive devices naturally and ensure that the logical relationship between each step of the manufacturing process is seamlessly maintained throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating basic equipment and process-related terms such as 'plastic bottle', 'straw', 'tap', and 'marker'. However, the range of lexical items remains limited, and there are noticeable errors in word choice, form, and collocation that occasionally draw attention away from the content. For instance, the expression 'access water' should be 'excess water', and the verb form 'cutted' is incorrect. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are constrained by these recurring inaccuracies. To progress to a higher band, the student should expand their vocabulary range, incorporate more precise academic collocations, and eliminate errors in word formation and spelling to ensure smoother communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to describe multi-clause operations such as 'the upper part with bottle neck is attached to the stand with the help of tape and the height when the bottle neck start changing shape a straw is inserted'. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including subject-verb agreement issues ('bottle neck start' instead of 'starts'), missing prepositions, and run-on structures. These errors can cause occasional difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher standard, the student must exercise greater control over complex sentence structures, ensure accurate verb tenses and agreements, and refine punctuation to reduce the frequency of grammatical slips.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.