Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows how geothermal energy is used to produce electricity.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagram shows us, how electricity is produced. In this diagram we can notice , how geothermal energy is used to produce electricity.There are mainly 5 stage of this process. At the first stage , we need cold water. The cold water pumped down in 4.5 km to the injection well .From this stage , it goes to the production well by passing geothermal zone ( hot rocks ). The production well is the 3rd stage of this process. After those process that cold water turns into hot water .Next, the hot water pumbed up to the condenser. In this stage , the hot water turns into steam for pumping up. The steam goes to the turbine ( powered by steam ). After that it goes to the generator. Which is powered by turbine and produce electricity. Lastly , from the generator we get electricity. Overall, we can consider that certainly it is a long term process to produce electricity by using geothermal energy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main stages, including water being sent down the injection well, heated by the geothermal zone, brought up through the production well, and used to generate electricity. The 4.5 km depth is also reported accurately. However, some process details are unclear or inaccurate: the water is described as turning into steam “for pumping up,” whereas it is pumped up as hot water before steam is produced at the condenser. The overview that this is a “long term process” is not a useful summary of the diagram; instead, highlight the key transformation from cold water to steam and the turbine-generator sequence. More precise reporting of the stages would make the account more complete and clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the general order of the process, and sequencing expressions such as “At the first stage,” “Next,” and “After that” help the reader follow the stages. However, the account is presented as one continuous paragraph, and some links are mechanical or confusing. For example, “From this stage, it goes to the production well” does not clearly identify what “it” refers to, while “Which is powered by turbine” is separated from the sentence it depends on. The repeated references to stages and the closing “Lastly” also make the progression less smooth. Group the description into a brief overview and a logically ordered process paragraph, using clear references to water, steam, and the equipment.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “geothermal zone,” “condenser,” “steam,” and “generator,” which makes the topic recognisable. However, the range of verbs and phrases is limited, and several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing this process. “Pumbed” is misspelled, and “turns into steam for pumping up” does not express the sequence clearly. Phrases such as “we can notice” and “we get electricity” are conversational rather than suitable for a formal process summary. Aim for precise verbs such as “is heated,” “rises,” “is converted,” and “drives,” and avoid repeating “stage” when a more specific process verb can show what happens.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentence patterns, such as “After those process that cold water turns into hot water,” but control is uneven, and many sentences rely on simple structures. Errors include “There are mainly 5 stage,” where the plural form is needed, and “Which is powered by turbine and produce electricity,” which is an incomplete sentence with agreement problems. There are also missing or misplaced commas and spaces, as in “electricity.There” and “notice , how.” These issues sometimes make relationships between stages difficult to follow. Practise combining steps with accurate clauses—for example, “The hot water is pumped to the surface through the production well before entering the condenser”—and check sentence boundaries, articles, plurals, and subject–verb agreement.

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