Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-09

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)

This illustrated diagram explains how we can generate energy by using the geothermal zone under the earth.

there are total 5 steps to generate electricity, the water moves along side a pipe under the earth and turns into steam and then the steam runs the generator to produce electricity.

The 1st step is to use cold water which is pumped down to the injection well. Then it moves to the geothermal zone which is too hot that converts this cold water into hot water that is pumped through a pipe and then the condenser genrates steam from the water and runs the turbine, the turbine then runs the generator to produce electricity which is then connected to the power station.

The geothermal zone contains hot rocks that make the water hot also the distance between the cold water tank the injection well is roughly 5 KM.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main process: cold water is sent underground, heated by the hot rocks, returned to the surface, and used to generate electricity. However, the account is only partial and the overview is brief; the stages are not clearly distinguished, and the condenser’s role is described imprecisely as producing steam without explaining that hot water enters it. The final detail misreads the diagram: 4.5 km is the depth of the injection well, not the distance between the tank and the well, and the generator connects to a transmission pylon rather than a power station. The response also falls four words short of the required minimum. Add a clearer overview and accurately describe the key stages and labels.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the general sequence of the process, using “Then” and “then” to guide the reader from water injection to electricity generation. This gives it some overall organisation, but the information is compressed into a short opening and one long process paragraph, followed by a final detail that repeats earlier information. The sequence would be easier to follow if each stage were expressed in a separate, well-controlled sentence and the overview were clearly separated from the details. Repeated use of “then” also makes the linking mechanical. Use a small range of precise transitions, such as “Next” and “Finally,” and make sure each sentence advances the description rather than restating it.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “condenser,” “turbine,” and “generator,” so the reader can understand the subject. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “runs” is used for both the turbine and generator, while “power station” does not match the diagram’s transmission pylon. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “genrates,” and informal wording such as “too hot that converts.” Aim for more exact process verbs and accurate labels. For example, describe water as being heated by the rocks, steam as driving the turbine, and the turbine as powering the generator.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates the basic sequence, but it relies heavily on simple clauses joined into long sentences, and attempts at more complex structures are often faulty. For example, “the geothermal zone which is too hot that converts this cold water” combines relative and result clauses incorrectly; “the distance between the cold water tank the injection well” is missing “and”; and “there are total 5 steps” has an inaccurate sentence structure. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, as the opening begins with lowercase “there.” Use shorter sentences to control accuracy, and practise forming relative clauses and linking clauses with “which,” “so,” or “therefore.” Check articles and punctuation when describing each stage.

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