Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-01

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 process diagram illustrates how electricity is produced by geothermal energy, at a power plant The process consists of five steps beginning from pumping the cold water and ending at producing electricity from turbine.

Process covers the generation of electricity from shifting the cold water into the well, that travels through geothermal segment, which is further travelled above the surface. Where steam is produced, utilized to run turbine.

Initially, the cold water from a reservoir is pumped 4.5km down into the injection well through a pump. That water travels to the production well after coming in contact with hot rocks, also known as geothermal zone. Water after flowing through the hot rocks also become hot. Similarly, at the same distance, hot water is transferred to a condenser.

From the condenser, steam is collected, which is further used to run the turbine. In the end, a generator is powered from the turbine and electricity is generated and distributed to the grid stations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response provides a clear overview of the geothermal energy process, identifying the main stages from pumping cold water to electricity distribution. The key features are highlighted, and the sequence is logical. However, the description of the process is slightly repetitive, and some technical details could be more precise. For instance, the transition between the injection well and the production well is described, but the explanation of how the water is heated by the rocks could be more clearly linked to the geothermal zone. Overall, the response covers all parts of the task well and provides a coherent summary of the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction and a step-by-step progression through the process. Paragraphing is used to separate the overview from the detailed steps. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'From the condenser', and 'In the end' are used to guide the reader through the stages. However, some transitions between sentences are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the phrase 'Water after flowing through the hot rocks also become hot' is a bit clunky and disrupts the flow. Despite these minor issues, the information is presented in a clear, easy-to-follow manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with appropriate technical terms such as 'geothermal zone', 'injection well', 'condenser', and 'turbine'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'shifting the cold water' (pumping/injecting would be more precise) and 'geothermal segment' (which is slightly vague). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the process clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score. The repetition of basic verbs like 'travels' and 'produced' also limits the lexical variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'electricity is produced by geothermal energy, at a power plant' (punctuation error), 'Water after flowing through the hot rocks also become hot' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'a generator is powered from the turbine' (preposition choice). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures would be needed to reach the 7.0 band.

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

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