Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-08

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 process of making a clock from water is illustrated in the diagram through a seven step process.

Overall, the making of a water clock is accomplished through a seven layered process starting with turning on the tap and ending with emptying the plastic bottle and repeating the process. The level drawn on the plastic bottle with it's neck cut off is used to measure the time.

The water clock needs two plastic bottles and a stand where one bottle is tapped to the stand right below the tap and the other bottle with it's neck cut off is kept at the bottom of the stand right below the first bottle. It begins by turning on the tap and covering the hole under the top bottle with a finger to fill it to overflow. The straw attached to the top bottle makes the excess water fall out until it reaches a constant level.

Then the finger is removed from the hole which gives the water a way to fall into the second bottle drop by drop. The second bottle is marked uniformly to indicate levels and whenever the falling drops of water in the bottle rises to a level it indicates a minute. It continues until the second bottle is filled almost to the brim and eventually reaches the last level. Finally, the second bottle is emptied out and the process is repeated maintaining the same path.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The report covers the full sequence and gives a clear overview, identifying the seven stages from turning on the tap to emptying and repeating the process. It also describes the main apparatus, including the upper bottle, lower bottle, stand and overflow straw, and explains that the marked levels indicate minutes. These details are generally grounded in the diagram. Some points, however, are added or imprecise: the lower bottle is said to become “filled almost to the brim” and reach a “last level,” which the diagram does not specify; it simply says to empty and repeat. The description of the upper bottle being “tapped to the stand” also misstates its attachment. More precise reporting of the labelled stages would strengthen an otherwise complete account.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible order: an introduction and overview are followed by the equipment and the stages of operation. Sequencing expressions such as “It begins,” “Then,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process, and the paragraphs broadly separate the overview from the detailed description. This meets the lower level of clear overall organisation, with some evidence of more flexible progression. However, cohesion is occasionally mechanical, particularly through repeated references to “the second bottle” and repeated use of “process.” Some links between ideas are also imprecise: “which gives the water a way to fall” refers to removing the finger but could state the resulting flow more directly. Use clearer referencing and vary transitions to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Vocabulary is adequate for describing the equipment and sequence, with relevant terms such as “overflow,” “constant level,” “calibration” (expressed as marked levels), and “indicates a minute.” The meaning remains clear throughout. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit precision: “seven layered process” is not an appropriate description of sequential stages, “tapped to the stand” does not convey that the bottle is attached, and “the water … rises to a level” is awkward for describing the marks reached by accumulating drops. “Maintaining the same path” is also vague in this context. Aim for accurate process collocations and use the diagram’s specific terms, such as “attached,” “marked at regular intervals,” and “one level per minute.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including the relative clause in “the plastic bottle with it’s neck cut off” and the time clause beginning “whenever.” Most sentences communicate the process successfully, and the sequence is generally easy to understand. Some grammatical errors remain. The possessive pronoun is written as “it’s” rather than “its” in two places; “the water … rises to a level it indicates a minute” needs a clearer clause boundary, such as “when the water reaches a mark, that mark indicates one minute”; and “the second bottle is emptied out” is less controlled than a direct passive construction such as “the lower bottle is emptied.” Continue using varied sentence forms, while checking punctuation and clause structure so that complex sentences remain accurate.

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