Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-02

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 the process of constructing a water clock using plastic bottles and other simple materials.

Overall, the process require two water bottles, all the necessary equipments to ensure the process and the lower level bootle is marked with a pencil to track the passage of time.

Firstly, one water is attached to a stand using tape and made a hole at the bottom of the bottle, while other bottle is fixed down the stand with neck cut off. Moreover cover hole that you have done to first bottle should be filled with water and it should overflow. While, water should come from a tap to the first bottle after that, water should be at level constant.

In addition, straw is also fixed on first bottle to make sure it drops water, than finger is removed from the bottom of the bottle hole and water is transfered into second bottle by the hole. Lastly second bottle is marked by the pencil to track passage of time.Once you done than just empty the second water bottle and repeat the process again and the water clock is completely built now.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The report identifies the diagram as a water-clock process and includes several relevant stages, such as attaching a bottle to a stand, allowing water to flow into a lower bottle, marking the lower container, and emptying it to repeat the timing process. However, some important details are unclear or inaccurately sequenced. For example, the upper bottle is filled until it overflows before the finger is removed, but the report’s description of covering the hole and filling the bottle is difficult to follow. It also says the straw is used “to make sure it drops water,” whereas it serves as an overflow drain. A clearer overview of the apparatus and a more precise account of the numbered stages would make the description more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to a description of the process, and it uses sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “In addition,” and “Lastly.” This gives the reader a general sense of progression. However, the stages are not consistently presented in their actual order: the tap is introduced after the bottle is filled, and the relationship between covering the hole, filling the upper bottle, and removing the finger is confusing. Some linking words, including “Moreover” and “While,” do not clearly express the relationship between the ideas that follow them. Grouping the setup separately from the operating stages, then describing each stage in sequence, would improve the flow and clarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses relevant task vocabulary, including “stand,” “tape,” “straw,” “overflow,” “pencil,” and “passage of time,” so the reader can identify the main objects and purpose. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the process harder to understand. “One water” and “other bottle” do not clearly identify the two containers, while “lower level bootle” appears to mean the lower bottle. The phrase “make sure it drops water” is also imprecise for describing the straw’s function. Spelling errors such as “bootle” and “transfered” further reduce accuracy. Use precise labels such as “upper bottle,” “lower container,” and “overflow outlet.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses joined with “while” and “after that,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, there are some errors in sentence structure, verb forms, agreement, and punctuation. For example, “the process require” lacks subject–verb agreement, and “one water is attached … and made a hole” combines an unclear passive construction with an incomplete parallel structure. The sentence beginning “Moreover cover hole” also lacks a clear subject and article, while “Once you done” omits the auxiliary verb. Several long sentences join multiple stages without clear punctuation. Use complete passive forms consistently, such as “The upper bottle is attached to the stand,” and separate each stage into a clear sentence.

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