Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-22

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 given diagram illustrates the step by step procedure of building a water clock.

Overall, it is clear that this procedure have total seven stages.Begin with water driping from tap and collected in the bottle and straw attached at the top of the bottle to discharge the extra water. And a small hole drip water in the open bottle while stand hold both bottles in this procedure.

In the first step, on the tap, water driping from the tap collected into plastic bottle which is attached on the top of stand with tape.Secondly, a straw is attached on the upper part of bottle with glue which discharge the extra water collected in the upper plasdtic bottle.

After that, make a small hole on the bottom the upper plastic bottle which drips water to lower ( neck cut off) plastic bottle which put under the upper hanged bottle.Then mark the level per minute on the lower bottle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The report identifies the diagram as a water-clock process and includes several relevant features: the tap, upper bottle, overflow straw, lower bottle and minute markings. However, it only partially describes the sequence. The numbered stages are not clearly followed, and important actions—covering the hole, filling the upper bottle until water overflows, letting the water level remain constant, and removing the finger—are omitted. The overview also says water drips from the tap, whereas the diagram presents the tap as the source used to fill the upper bottle; the dripping that measures time is from the hole in that bottle. To improve, summarise the complete process from setup through timing and explain that the lower bottle is emptied and the process repeated.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation: an introduction is followed by an overview and two paragraphs describing parts of the process. The sequence markers “In the first step,” “Secondly,” and “After that” help signal order. However, progression is not consistently clear because the report moves between construction details and operating stages without explaining how they connect. The overview combines several points in a long, awkward sentence, and the final paragraph ends without describing the later stages or a clear conclusion to the process. Some linking is also mechanical. Group the response into setup, operation and repeated timing, and use clear references such as “the upper container” and “the lower bottle” to make relationships easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “attached,” “discharge,” “upper plastic bottle,” and “mark the level per minute.” These choices show an attempt to describe the apparatus and its function. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “water driping from tap and collected,” “a small hole drip water,” and “stand hold both bottles.” Spelling errors, including “driping” and “plasdtic,” also reduce precision. Use standard process verbs and accurate collocations—for example, water “flows” or “drips,” a straw “allows excess water to drain,” and lines are “marked at one-minute intervals.” This would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is attached on the top of stand” and a longer overview sentence. However, control is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. Examples include “this procedure have total seven stages,” where subject–verb agreement and article use are faulty, and “a small hole drip water,” where the verb form does not agree with the subject. Several sentences are fragments or lack a clear grammatical structure, particularly “Begin with water…” and “Then mark the level per minute.” Practise complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement, articles and punctuation when combining steps.

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