Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-24
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 provided diagram illustrates the various stages involved in the production of electricity by a geothermal power plant.
Overall, there are many steps involved in this process, which begins with cold water and concluding to turbine generator.
Looking at the first stage where the cold water is collected from a tank and then it goes into the pipe of 4.5 km to the injection well there water is pumped down. Thereafter, the water flow goes to geothermal zone where hot rocks is present then it again reaches to the production well.
Turning to remaining information where this water which is in the production well where hot water is pumped that collected into condenser . Interestingly, in the final step the condenser has a steam which goes to turbine which is powered by it and it is connected to the generator which produce electricity to tower by current. Which provides electricity to homes, shops and other places .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the geothermal energy process, from the injection of cold water to the final distribution of electricity. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole. While the key features are identified, the explanation of the cycle—specifically the transition between the geothermal zone and the production well—is slightly unclear. The summary of the final stages is also a bit disjointed. To improve, ensure that the relationship between the components is described more fluidly and that the overview highlights the cyclical nature of the process rather than just listing steps.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hampered by awkward transitions and sentence structure. Phrases like 'Turning to remaining information' are not natural cohesive devices for a process description. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'there water is pumped down' and 'this water which is in the production well'. While the progression of the process is generally followed, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, which affects the overall readability of the response. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'water' and 'electricity'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'concluding to turbine generator' and 'current' used to describe the transmission lines. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'hot rocks is present' (should be 'are present'). To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to energy production and ensure that your word choices are more precise and varied throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('hot rocks is present'), awkward phrasing ('the condenser has a steam which goes to turbine'), and punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary space before the final period and the misuse of sentence fragments starting with 'Which'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and avoiding sentence fragments will help improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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