Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22

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 pictogram illustrates the method of producing electricity via geothermal energy. The total procedure involves five major steps.

At the initial stage, cold water is passed down to the injection well, which is 4.5 kilometer beneth the surface level and located in the geothermal zone. After that, water runs through the hot rocks. Consequently, the temperature of the water escalates. In the following step, hot water is pumped upward from the production well towards the condenser, located at the surface. At this point, the vapour from the water is condensed which is then passed through a small path to empower the turbine. The steam powered turbine then rotates at its designated speed to produce electricity. Following that, the electricity is then transfered and stored in the genrator, from there it is then transmitted to the transformer, from which electricity is supplied to the required locations.

Overall, it is evident that cold water is transformed into usable electricity in the geothermal power plant through five seperate stages, where the injection well facilitates the cold water to pass through the geothermal zone and with the help of production well the hot water is sent back to the surface where it moves through the condenser to produce steam in order to spin the turbine to generate electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all stages of the geothermal energy production process. You have identified the main features, such as the injection well, the geothermal zone, and the turbine, and presented them in a logical sequence. The overview provided in the final paragraph effectively summarizes the entire process. To reach a higher band, ensure that you focus more on the 'comparison' aspect of the task; while this is a process diagram, you could highlight the contrast between the cold water injection and the hot water production phases more explicitly to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the system's mechanics.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a body paragraph detailing the steps, and a concluding summary. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'At the initial stage', 'After that', 'Consequently', and 'Following that' to guide the reader through the process. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced; the body paragraph is quite long and could have been split to improve readability. Additionally, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Improving the flow between sentences by using more varied referencing would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, using terms like 'geothermal zone', 'injection well', 'condenser', and 'transformer'. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'beneth' (beneath), 'seperate' (separate), and 'genrator' (generator). While these do not impede communication, they prevent a higher score. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to technical processes, such as 'harnessing energy' or 'thermal conversion', rather than relying on simpler verbs like 'passed' or 'sent'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical slips, such as '4.5 kilometer beneth' (should be '4.5 kilometers beneath') and 'the vapour from the water is condensed which is then passed' (which requires a comma before 'which'). Additionally, 'electricity is then transfered' contains a spelling error and a passive voice construction that is slightly repetitive. While your meaning is always clear, increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you achieve a higher band score.

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

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