Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-21

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 5.0)

For building a Water Clock we should make apparatus that includes a tap,a plastic bottle with a hole at bottom,a stand,another plastic bottle with its neck cut off,a tape,straw and glue.Both the bottles are fitted with the stand in such that the neckless bottle is at below than the necked bottle.This stand is set under a tap.Then open the tap to fill the upper bottle.Put a finger at the hole so that water is not removed and fill it until it overflows.Level of water should remain constant throughout.When the level becomes constant then put finger away from the hole.The neckless bottle is then started filling with water coming from the hole of upper bottle.There is scale marked on the neckless bottle which gives information about level of water per minute.The bottom bottle is emptied and refill again by the same method for measuring time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the main equipment and describe the broad sequence: filling the upper bottle, allowing water to flow into the lower one, and repeating the process to time events. However, the account is incomplete and sometimes inaccurate. It omits key construction details, including fixing the upper bottle to the stand with tape, attaching the straw with glue as an overflow drain, and marking calibration lines on the lower bottle. The statement that the lower bottle has a “scale” is only partly supported: the diagram shows lines being marked, with levels used to measure time. The overview of how the apparatus works is also limited. The response is 144 words, below the required 150. Add a concise overview and explain the construction and timing stages more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a generally understandable order, moving from assembling the bottles to filling the upper one and then measuring the flow in the lower container. This gives the report some overall organisation. However, it is written as one continuous paragraph, and the sequence is not clearly signposted with stage markers such as “first,” “once the water reaches the straw,” and “finally.” Some links are also unclear: “When the level becomes constant” does not specify which level, while “The neckless bottle is then started filling” makes the transition awkward. Group the equipment and setup separately from the operating stages, and use clear references to the upper and lower bottles to make progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant vocabulary for the process, including “apparatus,” “overflows,” “stand,” and “measuring time,” so the reader can identify the main objects and actions. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “neckless bottle,” “water is not removed,” and “gives information about level of water per minute.” These phrases make some details less clear. Prefer standard descriptions such as “bottle with its neck cut off,” “prevent the water from flowing out,” and “shows the water level after each minute.” Also use “water clock” in lower case unless it begins a sentence, and avoid repeating “bottle” without clarifying which one is meant.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer structures, for example, “When the level becomes constant then put finger away from the hole,” and use passive forms such as “There is scale marked.” These attempts show some variety, but control is inconsistent and errors occur in basic sentence patterns. Examples include “Both the bottles are fitted with the stand in such that,” “at below than,” and “The neckless bottle is then started filling.” Articles and sentence punctuation are also unreliable, as in “Put a finger” and the run-on opening list. Use complete, direct instructions or consistent passive constructions, and check articles, prepositions, and verb forms. Breaking long sentences into shorter steps would also help accuracy.

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