Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-09

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 diagram illustrates the water clock making procedure. Overall, the process involves several stages, starting with tapping on the water tap and ending with emptying the repeat process for timing things.

In the first stage, put plastic bottle and tape it to the stand then turn on the tap on. Following this, cover hole with finger, after that glue the straw to the bottle and wait until the fill top bottle to overflow and then water becomes constant.

In the next stage, water drops to the bottom bottle and you could see levels per minute by plastic bottle which neck got cut off. Finally, you can empty the bottle and repeat process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a water-clock process and give a broad start-to-finish overview, including the tap, the water levels and the final repetition. However, the report covers the stages only partially and is under the required 150 words, which limits the detail you can provide. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the bottles and stand are already assembled in the diagram, while your account says to attach the bottle before turning on the tap; the straw is glued on, but its overflow function is not explained. The constant level and the calibration marks on the lower bottle also need clearer description. To strengthen the report, describe the apparatus accurately and explain each numbered stage in sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order: an introduction and overview are followed by stages and a final step. Sequencing expressions such as “In the first stage,” “Following this,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. However, the middle paragraph combines several actions in a confusing sequence, and “then water becomes constant” does not clearly connect to the filling and overflow steps. The final paragraph introduces the lower bottle and measurement without explaining how the water reaches it. Use separate paragraphs for the apparatus and the operating stages, and link each action explicitly to the next. This would make the progression clearer and reduce the impression of a list of loosely connected instructions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “stand,” “straw,” “overflow,” and “levels per minute,” so the topic is generally identifiable. However, the range is limited, and several phrases are imprecise or awkward, such as “water clock making procedure,” “emptying the repeat process,” and “plastic bottle which neck got cut off.” These choices sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to follow. Use more precise process language, for example, “construction of a water clock,” “empty the lower container and repeat the procedure,” and “a plastic bottle with its neck removed.” Also distinguish the upper and lower bottles consistently rather than referring to each simply as “the bottle.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and linked sentences, and the opening overview uses a clear participle phrase: “starting with tapping on the water tap.” However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes obscure the sequence. For example, “put plastic bottle and tape it to the stand” lacks an article and has an unclear imperative subject; “wait until the fill top bottle to overflow” has an incorrect verb construction; and “which neck got cut off” does not form a correct relative clause. There are also missing articles in phrases such as “cover hole with finger.” Practise accurate passive forms for describing a process, such as “the bottle is attached” and “the hole is covered,” and check articles and verb patterns when revising.

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