Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-26
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 below describes the stages of making electricity by using geothermal energy.
Overall it shows 5 steps to generate electricity by the use of Geothermal power plant.
Firstly, they have to pumped down cold water almost 4.5 km beneath the ground then in the second step there is the injection well through which the water processes then there is geothermal zone-hot rocks- between the production well and the injection well which converts the cold water into hot water.
After that the production well pumped the hot water upwards into the condenser which is the fourth step. In this step the condenser converts the hot water into steam. Then the steam from the condenser helps the turbine to move and the rotation of turbine produces the electricity in the generator which then comes in the transformer.
To conclude this is the whole process of generating electricity and the main features are the Geothermal zone and the steam.
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, identifying the key components like the injection well, production well, and turbine. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole. While the main features are mentioned, the explanation of how the system functions is slightly inaccurate in places (e.g., the condenser does not convert hot water into steam; the geothermal heat does). The response would benefit from a more precise summary of the energy conversion cycle rather than just listing steps.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into a logical sequence, moving from the initial injection to the final electricity generation. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'in the second step', 'After that', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the report is contained within one long paragraph, which hinders the visual clarity of the information. Improving the use of paragraph breaks to separate the stages of the process would significantly enhance the overall structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with technical terms like 'geothermal zone', 'injection well', and 'turbine' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some awkward phrasing choices, such as 'by the use of Geothermal power plant' and 'the production well pumped the hot water'. The word choice is functional but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. Expanding the range of verbs and descriptive phrases would help to elevate the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with verb tense and subject-verb agreement, such as 'they have to pumped' (should be 'pump') and 'the production well pumped' (should be 'pumps'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues and missing articles throughout the text. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on consistent tense usage for describing a process is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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