Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram provides information about the procedure of producing a water clock.

Overall, the whole process consists of 7 linear stages, begins with a stand having two bottles one which is cutted down.

Looking closer to the diagram, a proper bottle is tied to a stand through a tape and filled by a tap. There is a hole beneath the bottle which is covered by a hand to fill-up the bottle while a straw is also connected by means of a glue, to level-off the water and excessive water goes out through it.

In the subsequent phase, another bottle at the end with neck been cutted off is placed with several markings marked per minute. However, when the finger is removed from the hole made in the top bottle, water starts falling in the form of drops and starts indicating the time when the levels are filled. Finally, this process is repeated again by emptying both bottles.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The report covers the main stages and gives a useful overview that the process has seven stages, beginning with the apparatus and ending with repeated use. It accurately describes the upper bottle, the tap, the hole, the straw and the lower bottle, so the account is clearly relevant. Some details, however, are unclear or not fully aligned with the diagram: the lower bottle is marked at intervals corresponding to levels per minute, rather than having “several markings marked per minute,” and the final instruction is to empty and repeat the process, not necessarily to empty both bottles. The explanation of the constant water level and overflow could also be more precise. This is a solid account, but fuller and more exact coverage of the stages would strengthen it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by the apparatus and then the later operation. Paragraphing helps distinguish these functions, and transitions such as “Looking closer” and “In the subsequent phase” guide the reader through the description. However, the progression is not consistently clear because several stages are compressed into long sentences, and some references are difficult to follow. For example, “another bottle at the end” does not clearly identify the lower bottle, while “when the finger is removed” appears after the description of the markings without a clear link to the sequence. Use more precise stage-by-stage sequencing and clearer references to the upper and lower bottles to make the cohesion less dependent on broad transition phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “procedure,” “overflow,” “markings,” and “indicating the time,” and the reader can generally understand the intended meaning. However, several word choices and collocations are noticeably inaccurate or awkward, limiting precision. “Cutted down” and “cutted off” are not appropriate forms for describing the bottle, while “tied to a stand through a tape” does not naturally describe how it is attached. “Level-off the water” and “levels are filled” also obscure the intended idea of maintaining or measuring water levels. Aim for accurate, natural terms such as “attached with tape,” “cut off,” and “water level.” This would make the description more fluent and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is an attempt to use both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “when,” and “which,” and the overall meaning remains understandable. However, some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make relationships between ideas unclear. In the overview, “begins with a stand having two bottles one which is cutted down” lacks a clear clause structure; “one of which” would be needed to connect the detail. The phrase “with neck been cutted off” also has faulty verb construction, and “a proper bottle is tied” does not form a clear description of the apparatus. Work on relative clauses, passive forms, and sentence boundaries, while keeping the useful variety of structures already attempted.

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