Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-19

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 4.5)

The diagram illustrates the making procedure of water clock which mainly consist of seven initial stages along side using different equipments that are necessary for the stages start from tap on and end on empty and repeat process for timing things.

Overall, the way in which the water clock produced depends on the seven crucial stages and consist of necessary gadgets for instance;(straw, tape, glue and plastic bottle, stand) required for build and the first stage is tape on process on the other hand, the last stage were about empty and repeat process for time needed things.

Firstly the water collects from a tap into a plastic bottle then cover the hole with finger until the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the diagram as a seven-stage process and mention some relevant equipment, including the straw, tape, glue, bottles and stand. However, the report only describes the opening part of the process: it stops after saying to cover the hole, so the overflow, steady water level, release of the finger, marking levels and repeated timing procedure are not explained. There is also a factual error in saying the first stage is “tape on”; the listed first stage is turning the tap on, while tape is construction material. The response therefore addresses the task only minimally, with key stages missing and no clear account of how the apparatus is assembled or used. It is also 34 words below the required minimum. Describe the full sequence and its purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the report: an opening sentence, an overview, and a paragraph beginning “Firstly” to describe the process. The references to the first and last stages also show an effort to frame the sequence. However, progression is not sustained because the final paragraph breaks off at “until the”, leaving the reader without a completed explanation. The first two paragraphs repeat the idea of seven stages, and linking phrases such as “on the other hand” do not express a meaningful contrast between the beginning and end of a process. Use separate paragraphs for the apparatus and the stages, then connect each step with clear sequence markers such as “next” and “finally.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-related vocabulary, including “stages,” “tap,” “plastic bottle,” “straw,” and “stand,” so the subject is generally recognisable. There are also attempts at more formal wording, such as “illustrates” and “procedure.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward, including “necessary gadgets,” “water clock produced,” and “tape on process.” “Initial stages” is also unclear when referring to the complete sequence. These imprecise expressions sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to follow. Build a more precise process vocabulary and use natural collocations, for example, “equipment required,” “the clock is assembled,” and “turn on the tap.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences and use sequencing language, but the range of structures is limited and complex sentences are often faulty. For example, “water clock which mainly consist” has an agreement error, while “the way in which the water clock produced depends” is missing the auxiliary needed for a passive construction. In “the first stage is tape on process … the last stage were about,” the verb forms and sentence structure are not controlled. The final sentence is incomplete, ending with “until the”. These errors can make relationships between ideas difficult to understand. Practise complete, direct sentences in the present simple and passive voice, checking subject–verb agreement and ensuring each sentence has a finished main clause.

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