Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 given diagram depicts how geothermal energy is used to produce electricity .

Overall , the diagram had been five stages and the power plant started collected water and finished powered by turbine and produces electricity .The equipemet had been used condenser , turbine and generator and that supplyed by power plant .

According to the diagram , geothermal power plant had been collected cold water to 4.5 km down with water pumped .After that, the injection well can bring the production well for for hot water pumped up. Later on, condenser had been steamed them .

However , the turbine had been steam by powered and generator can made produces electricity powered by turbine .Finally , they can made power plant , which was ready for supply.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the topic and attempt to describe the process from cold water to electricity, including the injection well, production well, condenser, turbine and generator. However, the account is only partial and some stages are unclear or inaccurate: for example, “the injection well can bring the production well” does not explain that water travels through hot rocks and is then pumped up the production well, while the condenser’s role in producing steam is not clearly reported. The overview also misstates the sequence as “finished powered by turbine,” rather than explaining that the turbine drives the generator. The response is 120 words, below the required 150, and eight words copied from the prompt were excluded from that count. Add a clearer overview and explain each stage accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an overview and a description of later stages. Sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “According to the diagram,” “After that,” and “Finally” show an attempt to guide the reader through the process. However, progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph combines an unclear overview with equipment details, and the next paragraph’s “After that” does not make the movement of water through the geothermal zone understandable. “However” is also unsuitable for introducing the turbine stage because no contrast is being made. Organise the body in the diagram’s actual order and use linking words only where their relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “geothermal energy,” “injection well,” “production well,” “condenser,” “turbine” and “generator,” so the reader can recognise the subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the process difficult to understand. Phrases such as “had been collected cold water,” “had been steamed them,” and “ready for supply” do not express the intended actions naturally. There are also spelling errors, including “equipemet” and “supplyed.” Build a more precise set of process verbs—such as pump, heat, rise, convert and drive—and check spelling and word forms. This would make the description clearer without requiring overly advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the response generally follows a chronological process. However, the range is limited, and attempts at more complex structures are often faulty. For example, “the diagram had been five stages” has an incorrect verb construction, while “the injection well can bring the production well for for hot water pumped up” has an unclear clause structure and repeated preposition. Verb forms and tense are also inconsistent, as in “had been collected” and “can made produces.” These errors frequently make relationships between stages difficult to follow. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions of processes, using clear subject–verb patterns such as “Cold water is pumped down” and “The hot water rises through the production well.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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