Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-24

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)

In this diagram, a procedure of makng a water clock. A water clock is build in this figure and stages are discussed stepwise. In the below paragraphs, will elaborate the process of making a water clock.

The apparatus which are used for this process are plastic bottles, glue, a straw, a tape, and a stand.

The procedure for this process is firstly on the tap. Cover the hole of bottle with finger. Fill top bottle to overflow. Constant the level and extra water is removed with the help of straw. Then finger away fromt

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the topic and names several materials, including plastic bottles, glue, a straw, tape and a stand. It also mentions some early actions, such as covering the hole and filling the upper bottle until it overflows. However, the report is substantially incomplete: it stops at “Then finger away fromt” and does not explain the later stages, including the water-level markings, measuring time, or emptying and repeating the process. The overview is also vague, and “Constant the level” does not clearly describe the constant water level shown. The response is 94 words, below the required 150. To improve, give a complete, accurate account of the apparatus and all seven stages, with a clear overview of how water flow is used to mark time.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening paragraph introduces the diagram, a second lists the materials, and a third begins the procedure. The sequence words “firstly” and “Then” also show an effort to order the steps. However, progression is limited because the procedure ends abruptly at “Then finger away fromt,” leaving the sequence unfinished. Some linking is mechanical or unclear, particularly “In the below paragraphs,” and the relationship between the straw and the overflow is not smoothly explained. The paragraphing provides a starting structure, but the report needs a complete sequence and clearer links between each stage. Use concise transitions such as “Next,” “Once the water reaches the overflow straw,” and “Finally” to guide the reader through the process.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “apparatus,” “overflow,” “plastic bottles,” and “stand,” so the reader can identify the general subject. However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate or unclear: “Constant the level” does not express the intended idea, while “a procedure of makng” and “a water clock is build” show spelling or word-form problems. “Extra water is removed with the help of straw” is understandable but imprecise; the straw allows excess water to drain away. The unfinished phrase “finger away fromt” further limits clarity. Aim for precise process vocabulary, such as “attach,” “drain,” “mark,” and “calibrate,” and check spelling and collocations before finishing the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple statements and longer constructions, for example, “The apparatus which are used for this process are…” However, grammatical control is inconsistent. The opening, “In this diagram, a procedure of makng a water clock,” is a sentence fragment, and “A water clock is build” has an incorrect verb form. There are also agreement and article problems in “The apparatus which are used” and “with the help of straw.” The procedure relies mainly on short commands—“Cover the hole” and “Fill top bottle”—rather than varied, connected sentence forms. The final clause is incomplete, so its meaning cannot be fully understood. Practise writing complete sentences with accurate passive forms, such as “The upper bottle is attached to the stand,” and use sequencing clauses to connect the stages.

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