Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-29

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 processed diagram illustrates the steps involved to build a water clock machine.

Overall, there are 7 stages for the production of clock in which we measure water drops timinig. In this, we use two bottles, one is placed upward postion attached with stand and other is placed exactly under the upper bottle.

firstly, by opening tap water started dripping into the upper bottle which firmly joined with stand by using tape. It also have straw at top which is hold due to glue but it contain a hole at the end of bottle so, finger is placed at that point until water is drizzling from the straw.

finally, when stopage is removed water is dripping into underneath bottle and the levels started going increasing upward. It takes one minute to reach another level. So, at this point we measures the water level according to the bottles numbering. At the end, upward bottle empty and we have to do it again the all steps for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a seven-stage process and mention several relevant components, including the two bottles, stand, tape, straw and the final repeated timing process. However, some key stages are unclear or inaccurately described. The diagram shows the upper bottle being filled until water overflows through the straw, then the finger is removed from the hole at its base so water drips into the lower bottle. Your account instead suggests the finger remains in place until water comes from the straw, and it does not clearly explain that the lower bottle is marked at one-minute intervals. The overview also says the process measures “water drops,” rather than explaining that rising water levels are used to time things. Covering the sequence and purpose more precisely would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an opening overview and then attempts to describe the beginning and end of the process, so there is some organisation. The sequence is not consistently clear, however: the first body paragraph combines attaching the bottle, the straw and covering the hole, while the next jumps to removing the “stopage” and measuring levels. This makes it difficult to follow the stages in the order shown. Linking words such as “firstly” and “finally” help signal progression, but the middle stages are not clearly separated, and “finally” introduces several actions at once. Use one paragraph for the apparatus and overview, followed by a step-by-step account with clear references such as “once the upper bottle is full” and “as water collects below.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “attached,” “stand,” “straw,” “dripping” and “water level,” which helps communicate the general process. The range is limited, though, and several word choices or forms make the description imprecise: “production of clock” is not a natural description of the process, “water drops timinig” is unclear, and “stopage” does not identify the finger being removed. Spelling errors such as “timining” and “postion” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process vocabulary and natural collocations, for example describing water as “overflowing” and the lower bottle’s marked levels as “calibration marks.” This would make the account clearer without requiring unnecessarily complex wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, but control is uneven, and errors in sentence structure, verb forms and agreement sometimes make the process hard to follow. For example, “by opening tap water started dripping” lacks a clear grammatical subject and article; “It also have straw” has incorrect agreement and article use; and “the levels started going increasing upward” combines verb forms incorrectly. The sentence beginning “finally, when stopage is removed” also leaves the agent and reference unclear. Punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent, including the lowercase “firstly” after a paragraph break and several run-on clauses joined with commas. Build accuracy first with clear subject–verb sentences, then connect them using subordinate clauses such as “After the bottle is filled, the finger is removed.”

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