Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram represents how your own water clock is built and the whole process has been shared along with the steps.

Overall, the two plastic bottles are attached with a stand along with one getting water from the tap and other receiving while other steps are mentioned to follow the pattern.

The water clock includes stand on which two bottles are placed, one taped and other on the surface. A taped bottle has a straw glued from where the water is dropping. The main first bottle has one hole at the end from where water is dropping and is getting towards another bottle.

The clock is then built through stages where the taped is turned on first so the water could pass then a hole in the bottle needs to be covered with finger. Third step involves filling the top bottle to overflow the water and to check the level constant then. Finger afterwards needs to be removed a hole while noticing the levels per minute of the second bottle and at the last, the bottle need to be empty so that the whole procedure could be repeated again to continue the process of water clock.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a water-clock process and include several relevant features: two bottles, a stand, a tap, a straw, and the sequence of filling, releasing water, marking levels, and repeating. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate. For example, “the taped is turned on first” confuses the tap with the bottle, and the straw is described as the point “from where the water is dropping,” although it serves as an overflow drain. The overview also gives only a broad description rather than clearly summarising how the apparatus works and how the stages produce a timing measure. To strengthen the report, describe the setup accurately, then explain the numbered stages in order, including that the lower bottle’s water levels are marked per minute.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the apparatus, and a paragraph on the stages. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression within sentences is often difficult to follow, particularly in the final paragraph, where several stages are compressed into one long sequence. Linking expressions such as “then,” “afterwards,” and “at the last” are used, but the connections between actions are not always clear, and references such as “the bottle” do not consistently identify which bottle is meant. Separate the construction details from the operating stages, and use clear sequence markers with one main action per sentence. This would make the process easier to follow without changing its overall structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “stand,” “straw,” “overflow,” “tap,” and “levels per minute,” so the basic subject is identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or combinations are imprecise, sometimes making the meaning difficult to interpret. “The taped” is not a suitable noun for the upper bottle, while “water is dropping” and “the bottle need to be empty” are awkward expressions for describing the process. Repetition of “bottle” and “water” also limits precision. Build a more accurate set of process terms, such as “upper container,” “lower container,” “drips,” “secure,” and “calibration marks,” and choose verbs that clearly distinguish filling, draining, and measuring.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response uses sequencing clauses to describe the stages. However, complex sentences are often difficult to control, and frequent errors affect clarity. For instance, “the whole process has been shared along with the steps” uses an awkward tense and construction; “one getting water from the tap and other receiving” lacks articles and a complete parallel structure; and “the bottle need to be empty” has subject–verb disagreement. In “Finger afterwards needs to be removed a hole,” the word order and sentence structure obscure the intended action. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions, article use, agreement, and sentence boundaries. Shorter, complete sentences would help you communicate each stage more reliably.

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