Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-15

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 following diagram exibits the procudure for creating a water clock.

Overall, there are 7 steps required to build a personal water clock. The resources needed are straw, glue, palstic bottle, tape, stand and a plastic bottle. There is a specified method to do before starting to generate a water clock which helps in teh process.

In more detail, firstly, the plastic bottle must to tied to the upper end of the stand with the use of the tape. Furthermore, a straw should be fixed in the bottle with a glue. Additionally, another plastic bottle with the levels of reading is kept at the bottom of the stand with a neck cut off with

Now starts the procedure of making a clock water, firstly a tape must be turned on and the hole will be covered with finger in the next step. Thirdly, fill teh top bottle to overflow and the water will start to drip with the help of the straw the level must be kept constant.

The fifth step is to remove the finger away from the hole and teh level per minute is recorded. The last step is to empty and repeat process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a seven-stage process and include several relevant construction details, such as attaching the upper bottle to a stand and placing a cut-neck bottle below it. You also report the final instruction to empty and repeat the process. However, some important details are unclear or inaccurate: the straw is an overflow drain, while water drips through a hole at the base of the upper bottle; these functions are not distinguished. “A tape must be turned on” misidentifies the tap, and “the level per minute is recorded” does not clearly explain that the water level is marked to show elapsed minutes. The overview mentions a “specified method” without summarising how the apparatus works. Cover the main stages and explain the clock’s operation more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an overall structure, moving from an introduction and overview to construction details and then the operating stages. Sequencing words such as “firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “The fifth step” help the reader follow parts of the process. However, progression is weakened by the abrupt transition “Now starts the procedure,” and the construction paragraph ends unfinished at “with a neck cut off with,” leaving a key detail disconnected. Some linking words are repetitive or do not clarify relationships, and the order of the apparatus description and numbered stages could be more consistently signposted. Use separate, complete paragraphs for assembling the clock and operating it, and connect each stage clearly to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “overflow,” “stand,” “straw,” and “repeat process,” so the reader can recognise the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate enough to make parts difficult to understand. “A tape must be turned on” confuses the tap with tape, while “clock water” reverses the natural phrase “water clock.” “Levels of reading” is unclear for the calibration marks, and “with a glue” is not a natural expression. Spelling errors such as “exibits,” “procudure,” “palstic,” and “teh” are also noticeable. Choose precise process vocabulary and check spelling and common word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, including a relative clause in “another plastic bottle with the levels of reading is kept at the bottom.” However, many sentences contain errors in verb forms, articles, or sentence construction, and these sometimes make the instructions hard to follow. For example, “the plastic bottle must to tied” should use a correct passive form, and “a straw should be fixed in the bottle with a glue” has problems with the article and preposition pattern. The unfinished phrase “with a neck cut off with” also shows weak sentence control. Practise accurate passive instructions, such as “is attached” and “is placed,” and make sure each sentence is complete before moving to the next stage.

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