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 given diagram illustrates the manufacturing process of water clock .

The overall process consists of seven stages ; begins with open the tap and ends on empty the bottle for reuse.

Firstly, turn on the water tap to drop l water in the bottle and don't forget to cover the hole with the finger . The upper plastic bottle fills completely that's why the water outflows from the upper one side of the bottle through straw . This makes the level of Water constant . The straw is attached with the help of glue .

Then you have to remove the finger from the hole on the bottom of the upper plastic bottle and it's the time to record the number of drops level per minute flows at that time . The last but not least step is to empty the lower bottle and repeat the same process for measuring and to think about timing things . In this way , our own water clock is obtained with the help of thi procedure of various stages .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The report covers the main sequence and gives a clear overall outline, from turning on the tap to emptying the lower bottle and repeating the process. It also includes relevant construction details, such as the straw being attached with glue and water overflowing from the upper bottle. However, some stages are not described precisely: “record the number of drops level per minute” does not clearly convey that the lower bottle is marked to show the water level reached each minute. The stand, tape, cut-off neck of the lower bottle, and calibration marks are also omitted. Develop these details and distinguish more clearly between building the apparatus and using it to time events.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information is presented in a generally logical order, and “Firstly,” “Then,” and “The last but not least step” help signal progression through the process. The opening also identifies the seven-stage structure. However, the response is written as one paragraph, so the overview and the sequence of steps are not clearly separated. Some links are awkward or unclear: “This makes the level of Water constant” follows the overflow explanation, but the relationship between the constant supply and the marked levels could be explained more directly. The final sentence repeats the idea of obtaining a water clock rather than adding useful information. Use a brief overview followed by a clearly organised sequence, with precise references to each bottle.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “upper plastic bottle,” “straw,” “hole,” “glue,” and “empty,” so the reader can identify much of the equipment and sequence. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “manufacturing process” and “various stages,” although these are not always the most natural choices for describing a simple diagram. Several expressions are imprecise or awkward, including “drop l water,” “the number of drops level per minute,” and “think about timing things.” Spelling and capitalisation are inconsistent, as in “thi procedure” and “Water.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations such as “water flows through the straw” and “mark the water level at one-minute intervals.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including a cause-and-effect construction with “that's why” and a sequence linked by “Then.” However, errors in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction are noticeable and sometimes make the process difficult to follow. For example, “The overall process consists of seven stages; begins with open the tap” lacks a subject for the second clause and uses an incorrect verb form; “ends on empty the bottle” also has an incorrect pattern. In “the number of drops level per minute flows,” the grammatical relationship between the words is unclear. Improve control by using complete clauses and consistent present simple forms, for example, “The process begins when the tap is turned on and ends when the lower bottle is emptied.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.