Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-06

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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the detail how geothermal energy is used to produce electricity.

Overall,there are 5 stages to produce electricity.The initial stages is cold water pumped down and the last stages would be the final product that is electricity.

First, cold water pumped down 4.5 km,and the injected well in the mud.Geothermal zones (hot rocks ) produce well. Additionally,when the hot water pumped up from the mud that is condenser which thermal changes into steam .

Next, when the condenser steam(powered by steam ) reached the generator turbine battery which helped to connect with each others battery,it produced the powered by turbine it will automatically produced the eclectricity at the end of the stages.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process as geothermal electricity production and mention several relevant stages, including water being pumped down, heated underground, and returned to the surface. However, the account is only partial: the role of the turbine and generator is unclear, and the overview does not accurately summarise the full sequence. For example, “the last stages would be the final product that is electricity” gives little detail about how electricity is generated. Some descriptions are also inaccurate or difficult to interpret, such as saying the geothermal zone “produce[s] well.” The response is below the required 150 words, which limits the coverage of the diagram. To improve, describe each stage in order and explain that steam powers the turbine, which drives the generator.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs beginning with “First” and “Next.” These markers show an attempt to guide the reader through the process. However, the progression becomes difficult to follow because several stages are compressed into unclear sentences, particularly the final sentence about the condenser, turbine, and generator. Connections between ideas are sometimes missing or confusing, and the overview does not provide a clear map of the process. Organise the description into a straightforward sequence: water is pumped underground, heated, brought back up, converted to steam, and used to generate electricity. Use linking words sparingly and make sure each sentence clearly refers to the correct component.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “geothermal energy,” “cold water,” “hot water,” “steam,” and “condenser,” so the topic is recognisable. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or combinations make the meaning unclear. For instance, “injected well in the mud,” “condenser steam,” and “generator turbine battery” do not accurately name or describe the components. “Thermal changes into steam” is also an imprecise way to describe the conversion. Spelling errors such as “eclectricity” further reduce accuracy. Aim to use the diagram’s labels consistently and choose precise process verbs, such as “flows,” “is heated,” “rises,” “drives,” and “generates.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response includes sequencing phrases such as “First” and “Next.” However, sentence structures are limited, and errors are frequent enough to make some relationships difficult to understand. Examples include “there are 5 stages to produce electricity,” “The initial stages is,” and “when the hot water pumped up,” where agreement or verb forms are faulty. The final sentence also joins several ideas without a clear grammatical structure. Punctuation spacing is inconsistent, as in “Overall,there” and “Additionally,when.” Practise complete clauses with a clear subject and verb, for example: “Cold water is pumped down the injection well and heated by the hot rocks.” Then connect stages using accurate passive forms.

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