Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-01

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 data on the process of making a water clock. Overall, the procedure follows a linear, multi-stage sequence process.In these process, there was 7 stages , starting with tapping on water in the bottole and at the end levels per minute.

At the benginning, tap on water,so that it can drop water slowly in a plastic bottle, then coeve the bottles' hole with your finger,so that it can fill rop of the bottole to overflow.Add a straw by glub with the bottle to reduce extra water.Then give some time to level constant .

The remaining stages, finger away from the bottles' hole. water start to drop slowly in an other plastic bottle whichs' neck has cut off for the process. When the bottole start to fill up by water then levels per minute to undersand how much water stroge in the jar per minute, after all these process you have a clear sence of timing . At the end of he process empty the bollte and repeat the process for riming things to have a water clock for your own.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The report identifies the diagram as a sequence and describes several relevant stages, including covering the hole, allowing water to flow into the lower bottle, marking levels, and emptying and repeating the process. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the first stage is turning on the tap, not “tapping on water,” and the final listed stage is emptying and repeating the process for timing things, rather than “levels per minute.” The account also introduces adding a straw, which is part of constructing the apparatus, but does not clearly explain the stand, the upper bottle, or how the straw serves as an overflow. A more precise overview and fuller explanation of how the clock is assembled and used would make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by two paragraphs describing the stages. Sequencing expressions such as “At the beginning,” “The remaining stages,” and “At the end” help the reader follow the process. However, the progression is sometimes difficult to track because stages are combined or presented out of order; for example, “levels per minute” is described before the final empty-and-repeat step, although it is stage six. Some links are mechanical, and punctuation problems, including missing spaces after commas and sentence fragments such as “Then give some time to level constant,” interrupt the flow. Grouping the construction and operating steps more clearly, and using accurate references to the bottles and stages, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “overflow,” “straw,” “plastic bottle,” and “levels per minute,” so the topic is generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts difficult to understand: “bottole,” “coeve,” “glub,” “storge,” and “rim­ing” (intended as “timing”) obscure meaning. Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “tap on water,” “give some time to level constant,” and “clear sence of timing.” Aim for accurate process verbs and collocations, such as “turn on the tap,” “allow the water level to stabilise,” and “measure the amount of water collected per minute.” Careful proofreading would make the vocabulary more reliable.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use both simple and complex sentences, including purpose clauses with “so that” and a time clause beginning “When the bottle start to fill up.” However, some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “In these process, there was 7 stages” has problems with number agreement and sentence construction; “the bottle start” needs subject–verb agreement; and “whichs’ neck has cut off” lacks a correct relative clause and passive form. Articles and plurals are also inconsistent in phrases such as “an other plastic bottle” and “the bottles’ hole.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention, particularly where several instructions run together. Practise accurate passive constructions, agreement, and sentence punctuation while retaining the range of clauses you are attempting.

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