Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-15
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 diagram illustrates the process of usage of geothermal energy for electricity production, Overall the process is divided into five steps starting from cold water pumped down the earth surface and hot water pumped up and used to move turbine to generate electricity in generator which later sent to grid station.
Step one comprise of pouring water into the injection well in step two which forces water to go through the earth's geothermal zone which consist of hot rocks at some horizontal distance from the injection well water is let to warm up and again connected to pump in step 3 the production well pump hot water up towards condenser in step four where it is stored and produces steam.
the steam is moved towards the turbine which generates electricity when it moves with help of hot steam this occurs in the last step, when electricity of generated it is transpired to the grid station and later shared to every town.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the geothermal energy process, from injection to electricity distribution. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the cycle as a whole. While the key features are identified, the explanation of the 'condenser' and 'steam' production is slightly inaccurate based on the provided diagram, as the diagram shows the hot water flashing into steam within the production well or at the surface. The response would benefit from a more precise summary of the energy conversion process rather than just listing steps. Overall, it addresses the task requirements adequately but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive, relying heavily on 'in step two', 'in step 3', and 'in step four'. This makes the flow feel somewhat disjointed. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the stages of the process logically. Furthermore, the punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the lack of full stops between sentences in the second and third paragraphs, which hinders the overall flow and readability of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally functional and sufficient to describe the process, using terms like 'injection well', 'geothermal zone', and 'grid station'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'transpired' instead of 'transmitted' or 'distributed', and 'usage of' which is slightly unnatural. The range of vocabulary is somewhat narrow, and the student relies on basic verbs to describe the movement of energy. To improve, the student should incorporate more precise technical terminology and varied verbs to describe the flow and transformation of energy throughout the system.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('to move turbine', 'to grid station'), incorrect verb forms ('electricity of generated'), and run-on sentences caused by poor punctuation. The lack of proper sentence boundaries makes the text difficult to parse in several places. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevents the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to subject-verb agreement and sentence structure is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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