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 above mentioned diagram illustrates the detailed construction of water clock.

Overall this process of constructing a water clock consists of 7 stages that is from turning on the tap to finally buliding our own water clock which consists of one plastic bottle and another with its neck cut off.

Initially a big water bottle should be tied thoroughly to a stand using a tape or a rope. make 2 small visible holes one at the bottom of the bottle and another just below the neck of the bottle. place the cutoff water bottle below the big water bottle which is tied to the stand.

insert a straw through the hole drilled just below the the first bottle's neck and turn on the tap and make sure to hold a finger at the bottle hole of the first bottle so that the bottle complete fills up. after the first bottle is completely filled make slowly release your finger a count the levels of the bottle that's dropping down. Also repeat the process for the thorough result.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as having seven stages and mention key elements such as the stand, two bottles, tap, straw and water flowing into the lower container. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the upper bottle is attached with tape, not tied with tape or rope; the diagram shows a hole at its base, not a second hole just below the neck; and the straw is fixed near the top as an overflow drain. The account also omits the constant water level and the marking of levels per minute, which are central to how the clock works. The final instruction to empty and repeat is only vaguely conveyed. A more complete, precise account of the stages and an overview of the clock’s operation would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from construction to filling and then observing the water level, and the opening overview signals that there are seven stages. Paragraph breaks also separate the introduction from the instructions. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph describes making holes before the later paragraph introduces the straw and filling, while the diagram’s numbered stages are not followed explicitly. Linking phrases such as “Initially” and “after” help, but connections between actions are sometimes awkward, and the final sentence combines releasing the finger, counting levels and repeating without clearly distinguishing these steps. Organising the report into an overview and a clearly ordered sequence, with accurate references such as “next” and “once the level is constant,” would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “stand,” “straw,” “tap,” “cutoff water bottle” and “levels,” so the reader can generally identify the equipment and actions. There is some attempt at more specific wording, such as “drilled” and “thoroughly,” but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram. “Tied” suggests fastening with a cord rather than attaching the bottle with tape, and “cutoff water bottle” is less clear than “bottle with its neck cut off.” “Complete fills up” and “thorough result” are also imprecise expressions. Spelling errors such as “buliding” and “cutoff” further reduce control. Use precise process terms and natural collocations, for example “secure,” “overflow,” and “measure the water level.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence with “after” and a purpose clause beginning “so that.” However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors occur in basic sentence construction as well as in longer structures. For example, “this process … consists of 7 stages that is” has faulty agreement, while “make 2 small visible holes” and “place the cutoff water bottle” are sentence fragments because they lack appropriate capitalisation and a clear connection to the preceding sentence. In “a count the levels,” the verb form is incorrect, and “the bottle complete fills up” has an incorrect adverb form. Punctuation and sentence boundaries also need attention. Practise writing complete, correctly linked instructions and checking agreement, verb forms and capital letters.

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