Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-04

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 6.0)

The given diagram illustrates the process of manufacturing a water clock.

Overall, the process consists of seven stages .Two plastic bottles are required to complete the whole process while one at the top of the stand adjacent by tape and the other one at the bottom. A straw is injected to the first bottle alongside a small hole beneath the bottle whereas second bottle has neck cut off to measure timing of water flow.

The process starts with turning the tap on while covering the hole at the bottom of the first bottle. Third stage is to fill the first bottle and let the water overflow through the straw adjacent to the upper part of the top bottle by glue. Then it's necessary to make sure the water level is constant slightly below the straws joint. Next stage is to finger away from the hole and let the water fill the the other bottle which is at the bottom. Notice carefully how many levels water is covering through its flow each minute. Finally, repeat the process bu emptying the second bottle for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The report covers the main stages and gives a useful overview, identifying the seven-step process and the two-bottle arrangement. It also includes several relevant construction details, such as the upper bottle being attached to a stand and the lower bottle having its neck cut off. The sequence from turning on the tap to releasing the hole and repeating the timing process is broadly accurate. This meets the task well, with some features described less precisely: for example, the straw is fixed to the upper bottle with glue, rather than simply being “injected,” and the lower bottle is used to mark water levels per minute. To make the account more complete and precise, explain the calibration marks and the overflow arrangement clearly, while avoiding unclear descriptions such as “adjacent by tape.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an overview is followed by a chronological account, and sequencing phrases such as “The process starts,” “Third stage,” “Next stage,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the instructions. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and some references are difficult to track. For instance, “the first bottle” and “the other bottle” require the reader to infer which container is meant, while “Then it’s necessary” shifts away from the otherwise procedural style. The overview also combines several construction details in a long sentence, making the relationships between them less clear. Use consistent labels such as “upper bottle” and “lower bottle,” and group the apparatus description separately from the numbered stages to improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “overflow,” “water level,” “timing,” and “stages,” which helps communicate the diagram’s purpose. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however, and occasionally make the description less precise. “Manufacturing” is less suitable for a simple home-built device, “a straw is injected” does not describe how it is attached, and “how many levels water is covering” is an awkward way to refer to the calibration marks. There are also spelling or form slips, including “bu” for “by” and “strays”/“straws” confusion in the description. Aim for precise process verbs and standard technical phrasing, especially when describing how components are fixed together and how the marks are read.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the other one at the bottom” and a sequence of instructions linked with “while” and “whereas.” However, errors occur often enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. Examples include the incomplete construction “while one at the top of the stand … and the other one at the bottom,” the missing article in “covering the hole,” and the repeated wording “the the other bottle.” The sentence “Next stage is to finger away from the hole” also has an incorrect grammatical construction. Work on complete sentence structures, articles, and consistent verb forms; proofreading punctuation and spacing, as in “stages .Two,” would also improve accuracy.

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