Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The illustration depicts the process of making a clock with water functioning. I will discuss the whole process in detail in the body paragraph.

Overall, the apparatus is a stand, water bottle, tape, straw, glue and a jar eventually. Oh, and a water tap too.

To begin with, all the parts are assembled as per the diagram. The whole assembly is put under a water tap. The tap is turned on while the whole under the bottle is closed temporarily via a finger. The top bottle is filled with water until it started overflowing. When the level gets constant, which is upto the straw, the finger is removed and water begins to tip down into the jar below. The jar contains the markings on it which measures the level of water every minute.

Therefore, the water clock is ready. Whenever we need to calculate the time taken in any process or by anything, We just empty the previously filled jar, start the whole process again and measure the readings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The report covers the main sequence, from turning on the tap and filling the upper bottle to removing the finger, collecting water below, and emptying the lower container to repeat the timing process. It also identifies several components and explains that the lower bottle has markings. However, some details are unclear or imprecise: “the whole under the bottle is closed” does not clearly identify the hole at the base, and “the jar contains the markings” is less accurate than describing the cut-off plastic bottle being marked as water accumulates. The overview mainly lists equipment rather than summarising how the apparatus works. A clearer overview of the controlled overflow and timed water-level rise, followed by precise stage descriptions, would develop the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the setup and operation, and a concluding statement about reuse. The stages are generally presented in a sensible order, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “Therefore” help signal progression. However, the overview is an equipment list rather than a useful summary of the process, and the opening promise, “I will discuss the whole process in detail,” adds little information. Some references are difficult to follow, particularly “the whole under the bottle” and “the jar below,” because the apparatus is not consistently named. Use clearer stage links and refer to the upper and lower bottles consistently to make the progression easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses enough process-related vocabulary to communicate the main idea, including “assembled,” “overflowing,” “markings,” and “measure.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for a diagram report. “A clock with water functioning” is an awkward description, “tip down” is not the appropriate verb for water flowing, and “jar” does not match the diagram’s plastic bottle. “The whole assembly” and “whole process” are also vague where specific apparatus or stages could be named. The informal aside “Oh, and a water tap too” is unsuitable for an academic report. More precise terms such as “water clock,” “drip,” “lower bottle,” and “calibration marks” would improve clarity and register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the time clause “When the level gets constant” and the relative clause “which measures the level of water every minute.” Most of the process remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce accuracy. In “until it started overflowing,” the past-tense verb does not fit the surrounding present-tense description; “until it starts to overflow” would be consistent. “The jar contains the markings on it which measures” has an unclear relative clause and subject–verb agreement problem. Capitalising “We” mid-sentence is also incorrect. Keep the report consistently in the present simple and check agreement and punctuation in longer sentences.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.