Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-10

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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the production of electricity by using geothermal energy.

Overall, the production of electricity is divided into 5 major steps.

Firstly, some cold water is poured into a 4.5 kilometers long hole or tunnel in the ground to the injection well.

In the second step, water from the injection well travels through the geothermal zone, which consists of hot rocks, to the production well.

After the 2nd step, the water is pumped up from the production well to the ground level straight to the condenser. Here comes the 4th step, where water is converted into steam in the condenser. The final stage kickoffs when the vapours from the condenser flows to the turbine in order to power it, making the generator run with the help of turbine, which then produces electricity and send it to the Power transmition tower which further carries the electricity to our houses or properties.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the process as geothermal electricity production and describe its main sequence: cold water enters the injection well, passes through hot rocks, rises through the production well, and is converted to steam to drive the turbine and generator. The opening overview also recognises that the process has stages. However, the overview is limited to saying there are “5 major steps” rather than summarising the key transformation from cold water underground to electricity at the surface. Some details are unclear or imprecise: the water is “poured” rather than pumped down, and the final account does not clearly explain that the turbine drives the generator. The transmission tower is mentioned, but its role is extended to carrying electricity to homes, which the diagram does not show. A clearer overview and more exact reporting would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the process in a generally logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “In the second step,” and “After the 2nd step” help the reader track the stages. The progression from underground water movement to steam and electricity is understandable. However, the organisation is mostly one continuous paragraph, and the later stages are crowded into a long sentence beginning “The final stage kickoffs.” This makes the relationships between steam, turbine, generator, and electricity less clear. The repeated step-counting is also somewhat mechanical, while “Here comes” is an informal transition. Separate the overview from the process description and use clearer sentence boundaries and links to make the sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “production well,” “condenser,” “steam,” and “turbine.” These terms make the main stages recognisable, and “converted into steam” is an appropriate description. Some choices are imprecise or informal for an academic process report: water is “poured” into the well, the well is called a “hole or tunnel,” and “Here comes” and “kickoffs” are conversational. There are also spelling or form issues in “transmition” and “vapours.” Prefer precise process verbs and consistent technical terms, and avoid adding unsupported destinations such as “our houses or properties.” This would make the vocabulary more accurate and suitably formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the geothermal zone, which consists of hot rocks” and a sequence of clauses describing the final stages. The main meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors reduce accuracy. In “the vapours … flows,” the plural subject requires “flow”; similarly, “the generator … produces electricity and send it” should use “sends.” The phrase “making the generator run with the help of turbine” has an unclear grammatical relationship, and the long final sentence combines several actions without clear punctuation. “4.5 kilometers long hole” also needs a more accurate grammatical construction, such as “a hole that is 4.5 kilometres deep.” Use shorter sentences for the final stages and check agreement and clause structure.

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