Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates how a water clock can be build and steps to measure time.

Overall, key materials required to make a water clock are plastic bottles, a straw, a stand, glue, and tape. Seven steps are involved in tracking time, starting from turning the tap water on and ending with emptying the plastic bottle at the bottom to repeat the process for timing things.

To set up a water clock, stand needs to be place below the tap. The first bottle is attached at the top of the stand using tape. Two holes are drilled in the bottle, one at the top right corner to put the straw using glue, and second at the bottom of the bottle. The other bottle's neck is cut and different levels of measurements are drawn with a pencil to track time.

The process commence by turning the tap on. While water gets filled in the bottle below, the hole at the bottom needs to be covered with a finger until water starts to overflow. Once water level is constant, move the finger away from the hole. As water droplets start to flow in the other bottle, time can be tracked per minute. Empty the bottle once full and repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The report covers both construction and operation, and its overview identifies the main materials and the sequence from switching on the tap to repeating the timing process. It also includes relevant details such as attaching the upper bottle with tape, using a straw, and marking the lower bottle. This gives a clear account of the diagram’s main stages. However, a few details are not fully accurate: the straw is described as being placed in a drilled hole, whereas it is fixed to the bottle’s side as an overflow drain, and the account says the lower bottle fills before the upper one overflows. Clarifying that the upper bottle is filled to overflow before the finger is removed would make the process more precise and consistently grounded in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by construction details and then the operating stages. Sequencing expressions such as “To set up,” “The process commence,” “Once,” and “As” help the reader follow the procedure, and the paragraphs have clear purposes. This coherent overall arrangement is a strength. To make progression more consistently smooth, use more precise links between the setup and operation, and avoid the potentially confusing reference in “the bottle below” when the upper bottle is being filled. Some transitions are also quite formulaic; linking each action explicitly to its result would show more flexible cohesion and clearer referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for describing the apparatus and sequence, with relevant terms such as “overflow,” “attached,” “measurements,” and “droplets.” The writer also uses process language rather than relying entirely on basic verbs. However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive: “measure time” and “track time” recur, while “different levels of measurements” is not a natural description of calibration marks. “The process commence” also shows an inaccurate word form, and “build” in the opening is not the appropriate form after “can be.” More precise terms such as “calibration marks,” “water flow,” and “construct” would improve clarity and control without making the report unnecessarily elaborate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mix of simple and complex structures, including purpose clauses (“to track time”), a time clause (“until water starts to overflow”), and a conditional-style sequence (“Once water level is constant”). Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “can be build” needs a past participle, “stand needs to be place” has both an article and verb-form problem, and “The process commence” has subject–verb agreement error. Articles are also missing in “Once water level is constant,” and the sentence about the two holes is awkwardly joined. Review passive forms, articles, and agreement, then check each sentence for a complete, clearly connected structure.

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