Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

First a plastic bottle is stand with a tape to stable it. And then made a hole in the bottle and attached a straw with gluewater is poured through the opening of the bottle.the water than slowly move to the another plastic bottle and there is no neck of another bottle.And i not put the finger until the second bottle is over flow.we can observe the time when the water flow in to the another bottle.and then i put a water fall so because to filling my bottles.than i close the straw for no over flow. so that way i can build a own water clock.this simple device demonstate that how steady flow of water and to measure the time .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies some relevant parts of the apparatus, including a plastic bottle, tape, glue, a straw and a second bottle, and it recognises that water flow is used to measure time. However, it only minimally describes the illustrated process and several details are inaccurate or unclear: the diagram shows the upper bottle being filled to overflow, then a finger being removed from its base hole; it does not show the straw being closed or a “water fall” being added. The stages of marking levels per minute and emptying and repeating the process are also missing. The report has no clear overview of how the clock works, and it is 29 words below the required minimum. Include the full sequence and its purpose accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to put events in sequence, using “First” and “And then,” and the final sentence gives a general concluding idea about measuring time. However, the progression is difficult to follow because several steps are joined in one long, poorly punctuated passage, and the sequence does not consistently match the diagram. For example, “the water than slowly move to the another plastic bottle” is followed by an unclear statement about when the second bottle overflows. The repeated use of “and then” and “so” does not clearly show the relationships between stages. Separate the report into an overview and ordered process steps, and use clear sequencing expressions such as “Next” and “Finally.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses a basic range of relevant words, including “plastic bottle,” “tape,” “straw,” “glue” and “measure the time,” so the reader can identify the general topic. However, vocabulary is repetitive and several word choices or forms make the meaning unclear, such as “a water fall” for the water supply or tap, “stable it,” and “no neck of another bottle.” “Water clock” and “steady flow” are useful topic-related expressions, but the report needs more precise terms for the apparatus and stages. Choose words that match the diagram, such as “secure,” “overflow,” “calibration marks” and “lower container,” and check spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe a sequence and includes a few connected clauses, but sentence structures are mostly simple and frequently inaccurate, which sometimes obscures the process. Examples include “First a plastic bottle is stand,” “the water than slowly move,” and “i not put the finger,” where verb forms, tense and sentence construction are faulty. Articles and agreement are also problematic in phrases such as “a own water clock” and “this simple device demonstate.” Punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent: several sentences run together after full stops, and “i” is not capitalised. Use consistent present simple passive forms for the process, for example, “The bottle is attached to the stand,” and check each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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