Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-13

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 given diagram illustrates the process of geothermal energy is used to produce electricity.

Overall, a glance at the graphs reveals that the process has five primary steps in production process, begninng with cold water and ending with generator powered by turbine and produces electricity. this is the linear process.

Initially, there are cold water pumped down to 4.5 km in the injection well afterthat the rocks was hot in geothermal zone moreover the production well is up to hot water pumped up and then condenser to steam that is important to that process and afterthat that is a steam powerded by steam and finally powered by turbine and produces electricity to improve and ready for use to suply electricity and the power was givs to another

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main stages, including water being pumped down the injection well, heated in the geothermal zone, and returned through the production well before steam drives the turbine and generator. The reference to the 4.5 km depth is also accurate. However, the overview is unclear and partly misstates the sequence: the process ends with electricity being produced by the generator, not simply with a “generator powered by turbine.” The later description becomes difficult to follow and does not clearly explain how steam reaches the turbine or how electricity is transmitted. The response also does not meet the required minimum length, so several key features remain underdeveloped. A clearer overview and a complete, accurate account of each stage would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is an attempt to organise the response with an opening, an overview, and a description beginning with “Initially” and moving towards “finally.” This gives the reader some sense of sequence. However, most of the process is compressed into one long sentence, with repeated connectors such as “afterthat” and “and then,” so the stages are not clearly separated. The final phrase, “the power was givs to another,” is incomplete and leaves the ending unclear. Use separate sentences or paragraphs for the overview and the stages, and connect each stage with precise sequencing language. This would make the progression easier to follow and reduce the current mechanical, sometimes confusing cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “production well,” “condenser,” and “turbine,” which helps identify the diagram’s components. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms make the description hard to understand: “the rocks was hot,” “steam powerded by steam,” and “the power was givs to another.” Some expressions are also imprecise, such as “to improve and ready for use,” which does not clearly describe electricity generation or transmission. Choose accurate process verbs and collocations, such as “water is heated,” “steam powers the turbine,” and “electricity is transmitted.” Check spelling and word forms carefully to make the technical vocabulary clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to describe a sequence and use some linking structures, but the response relies mainly on one extended sentence, and attempts at more complex structures are often faulty. For example, “there are cold water pumped down” has an incorrect construction, while “the rocks was hot” has a subject–verb agreement error. The opening, “illustrates the process of geothermal energy is used,” also combines structures incorrectly. Missing or misplaced punctuation adds to the difficulty, particularly in the long final description. Use the present simple passive consistently for a process—for example, “Cold water is pumped down the injection well”—and divide the stages into complete sentences. This will improve control of verb forms, agreement, and sentence boundaries.

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

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