Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of making a water clock with some equipments which are easily available.

Overall, the process consist of seven main stages, beginning with attaching a tap to the plastic bottle and ending with emptying the container and repeating the process. It is basically a cyclical procees involving different products like plastic bottle, glue, tap and a stand.

At the first stage, attaching a tap to the bottle and on it. Following this, the second step is to covering the hole with finger. Once this has been completed, the next step is to fill the bottle to overflow. Then we have to constant the level of water in the bottle according to straw.

In the subsequent stages, the next to remove the finger from the hole where we had put before. After that, we have to level the bottle with a gap of minute, befor the process eventually conclude with emptying the container and repeating the process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the seven-stage sequence and give a relevant overview, noting that the process ends by emptying the container and repeating it. However, several important details are incomplete or unclear, so the report only partially describes how the clock is made and used. For example, the opening says the tap is attached to the bottle, whereas the diagram places it above the upper bottle; the upper bottle is attached to a stand, and the lower bottle has its neck cut off. The explanation of the straw and water levels is also difficult to interpret, and the calibration marks used to measure time are not clearly described. Include the apparatus setup and explain that the lower bottle is marked to show water levels over time.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the stages. Sequencing phrases such as “At the first stage,” “Following this,” and “In the subsequent stages” help the reader follow the general order. However, progression becomes less clear when several steps are compressed into vague or incomplete statements, such as “Then we have to constant the level of water” and “level the bottle with a gap of minute.” Some references, including “on it” and “where we had put before,” do not clearly identify what is being referred to. To strengthen the organisation, describe each stage in a complete sentence and use precise references to the hole, straw, and lower bottle.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “overflow,” “container,” “tap,” and “repeating the process,” which helps establish the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the instructions difficult to understand. “Some equipments” is not the natural form; use “some equipment” or “materials.” “Constant the level” does not express the intended action, and “level the bottle with a gap of minute” is unclear. There are also spelling errors in “procees” and “befor.” Aim for precise process language, such as “maintain a constant water level,” “remove your finger,” and “mark the water level at one-minute intervals.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a range of sentence forms, including sequencing clauses beginning “Once this has been completed” and “After that.” However, grammatical errors are frequent, and some sentences are incomplete or difficult to interpret. For example, “At the first stage, attaching a tap to the bottle and on it” lacks a clear subject and a complete verb phrase. “The process consist” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the second step is to covering” uses the wrong verb form after “is.” The final paragraph also contains an incomplete construction: “the next to remove the finger.” Use complete clauses with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and verb patterns, for example, “The next step is to cover the hole.”

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