Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-07

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

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN WATER CLOCK

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The following diagram illustrates us about water clock how its works or how can we made it , in the first you can see the tools or things which i used in this diagram , here are some few steps by which lead you can understand the process , in the first step you need on your tap to flow the water in the bottel for the second step you need to made a hole in the bottom of the bottel then you need to put your finger on that holle untill bottel fill to overflow so that was your 3rd step , in the 4th one you can see the water flow from the straw which i out on the top of bettel when the water consistantly flows from the straw then in the 5th step you can put away your finger from the hole , in the sixth step you can see i put a jar under bottel where its drop its drops which is marked by pencil , 7th one you need to empty the jar and repate this step again and check the time of every draw line bythia step you can judge the time by every minute of your drop.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a water-clock process and cover several key stages, including filling the upper bottle, allowing water to flow, marking the lower container, and repeating the process. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the hole is shown in the apparatus, rather than being made as a step, and the straw is an overflow outlet, not the source of the water flow described in “water flow from the straw.” The overview is also missing, so the reader is not given a concise summary of how the apparatus works. To strengthen the report, describe the setup first, then summarise the sequence and explain that the falling water level is marked to measure time in minutes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the numbered stages in roughly the correct order, and phrases such as “in the 5th step” and “in the sixth step” help signal sequence. However, nearly all the information is presented as one long sentence, with repeated transitions such as “in the first” and “then.” This makes the progression difficult to follow, especially where the description moves from filling the bottle to the straw and then to the lower jar. Some references, including “that step” and “every draw line,” are not clear. Organise the report into short paragraphs—for example, an introduction and overview followed by the construction and operating stages—and use precise links between steps.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “tap,” “overflow,” “straw,” “hole,” “pencil,” and “minute,” which allows the reader to recognise the main parts and actions. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the description hard to interpret, such as “bottel,” “holle,” “bet tel,” and “draw line.” Some expressions are also imprecise: “put a jar under bottel” does not clearly identify the lower plastic bottle, while “check the time of every draw line” is not a natural way to describe recording elapsed time. Use accurate labels from the diagram and practise collocations such as “attach the bottle,” “mark the water level,” and “measure elapsed time.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect several stages using clauses and time expressions, but the response relies heavily on long, loosely joined sentences. Frequent errors in sentence structure and verb forms make parts difficult to understand. For example, “how its works” has incorrect agreement, and “how can we made it” uses an incorrect verb form. The phrase “when the water consistantly flows … then in the 5th step you can put away your finger” also needs clearer clause structure and punctuation. Articles and prepositions are often missing or inaccurate, as in “in the bottom of the bottel” and “under bottel.” Build shorter sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement, verb forms, articles, and full stops.

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.