Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-31

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 5.0)

The figure illustrates the step of making a water clock.

Overall, It has seven stages in total. From starting point of tap on to ending point of empty and repeat process for timing things.

Looking in the figure, first of all , attach two bottles in a upper and lower section of the stand with a hole in upper bottle and add straw to the same bottle right upper side of it . Then, open the tap and below the plastic bottle hole, cover it with hand until the water fully filled in bottle.

Turning again in the same figure, finger should away from the hole then water comes out from the both hole in same constant level and per minute. Neck part must be cut from lower plastic bottle. Lastly, empty it and re-do the same steps for timing items.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a water-clock process and give its overall seven-stage sequence, including starting the tap and repeating the process for timing. However, the account only partially covers the important steps and contains unclear or inaccurate details. For example, the diagram says to cover the hole while filling the upper bottle until water overflows; your wording, “below the plastic bottle hole,” makes this action difficult to understand. You also say water comes from “both hole[s]” at a constant level, whereas the diagram shows water dripping through the upper bottle’s base and the lower bottle being marked at one-minute intervals. The response is 141 words, below the required 150. Add the missing construction and calibration details and explain the stages more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, signalled by “Overall,” “first of all,” “Then,” and “Lastly,” so the reader can recognise that the process is being described in order. The opening overview also identifies seven stages. However, progression is not consistently clear: “Turning again in the same figure” does not clearly indicate which stage follows, and several actions are crowded into long sentences. The paragraphing offers little separation between the overview, construction, and operation. Organise the report into a brief introduction and overview, followed by clearly ordered stages, using precise links such as “Once the bottle is full” and “After the water begins to drip.” This would make the sequence easier to follow without relying on repetitive transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “stand,” “straw,” “hole,” “tap,” and “constant level,” which helps communicate the general subject. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or combinations are unnatural or imprecise, sometimes making the process hard to interpret. For instance, “the step of making” is less suitable for a multi-stage process, “finger should away” does not express the action clearly, and “re-do the same steps” is informal for a report. Use more precise terms such as “stages,” “remove your finger,” “water flows through the hole,” and “repeat the procedure.” Naming the overflow straw and the calibration marks would also make the description more specific and appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a sequence joined with “then” and a concluding instruction. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some relationships unclear. Examples include “It has seven stages” after a comma, “attach two bottles in a upper and lower section,” and “finger should away from the hole.” These show problems with sentence boundaries, articles, verb forms, and sentence construction. The phrase “water comes out from the both hole” also has errors in article use and number. Practise writing complete, controlled sentences for each stage, for example: “The upper bottle is attached to the stand, while the lower bottle rests on its base.” Check articles, plurals, and verb forms before finishing.

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