Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-12

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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the building process of a water clock using a plastic bottle as well as a straw, tape, stand, glue, and a faucet as a water source.

Overall, the whole cycle consists of seven relevant stages, including the filling and dropping of water from a water source, the observation stage, and how to repeat the process.

The cycle begins with turning on the faucet to fill up the water bottle until it overflows into the straw while simultaneously covering the hole with a finger. Once the level of water is constant, put the finger away from the hole.

Conversely, the water from the plastic bottle starts to drip into the cut-off plastic with a line that indicates the level per minute. The proces culminates in by removing the water in the bottom plastic bottle. Onced empty, the process can be repeated used for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence and give an overview of the seven stages, including filling the upper bottle, releasing the water, and repeating the process. The description of the tap, straw and lower bottle is relevant, but some details are unclear or inaccurate: the water does not simply overflow into the straw; the straw drains excess water to keep the upper level constant, while water drips through a hole into the lower bottle. The calibration lines are also described as “a line,” and the timing function could be explained more precisely. The report is 147 words, so it falls three words short of the required minimum. Add a little detail about the apparatus and how the marked levels are used.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the operating sequence and final repetition. The stages are generally presented in a sensible order, and phrases such as “Overall” and “The cycle begins” help guide the reader. This gives the report a coherent progression. However, “Conversely” does not express the relationship between the preceding and following steps; a simple transition such as “Meanwhile” or “As this happens” would be more suitable. The final paragraph also combines the dripping, marking and resetting stages in a way that makes their sequence less clear. More precise links between each stage would make the cohesion more flexible and natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “faucet,” “overflows,” “constant,” “drip,” and “culminates,” and the reader can understand the general procedure. Some choices are imprecise or awkward for this diagram: “the cut-off plastic” does not clearly identify the lower bottle, and “a line that indicates the level per minute” does not accurately describe the calibration marks. There are also spelling and word-form slips, including “proces” and “Onced,” alongside the awkward phrase “repeat the process used for timing things.” These errors do not prevent understanding, but more accurate collocations and consistent spelling would improve precision. Prefer the diagram’s concrete terms, such as “lower bottle” and “calibration marks.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of sentence forms, including the complex opening sentence and the time clause “Once the level of water is constant.” Most of the procedure remains understandable, and the sequence is expressed with appropriate present-tense forms. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in the final sentences: “The proces culminates in by removing” has an incorrect construction, while “Onced empty, the process can be repeated used” combines incompatible verb forms. The sentence beginning “Conversely” also lacks a clear grammatical link between the water dripping and the marks. Revise these as direct, complete clauses—for example, “The process ends when the lower bottle is emptied, after which it can be reused for timing.” This would improve control without requiring more complex structures.

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