Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05

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 energy production from geothermal heat.

Overall, the process comprises five main stages. Process starts above ground then two steps done below ground and then again last two stages are done above land. From starting with cold water and at the end turbine is connected with generator which produces electricity.

First, from the cold water tank water is pumped down and it travels 4.5 km undergroup. In second stage, water passes through geothermal zone which contains hot rocks, where cold water is converted into hot water. After this, hot water is pumped up via the production well.

Last two steps are done above the ground which consists of condansation and energy production. In condensastion, hot water is converted into steam. After this, at the last stage, turbine is connected with generator in which steam creates turbine movement and which will get transformed into electricity. Finally, electricity is trasfered into power grid and trasfred to consumers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the geothermal energy production process, from the cold water tank to the power grid. You have successfully identified the key features, such as the depth of the well and the conversion of water to steam. However, the description of the process is slightly mechanical and lacks a clear, sophisticated overview of the relationship between the stages. While you mention the five stages, the explanation of the 'geothermal zone' and the 'condenser' could be more precise to fully capture the technical nature of the diagram. Overall, the response is accurate and addresses the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First', 'In second stage', and 'After this' to guide the reader. However, the flow is somewhat repetitive, and the transitions between sentences can feel a bit mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the cohesion within the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to avoid repeating the same sentence structures. The overall progression is clear, but it lacks the sophisticated flow required for a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'geothermal zone', 'production well', and 'power grid'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'undergroup' (underground), 'condansation' (condensation), 'trasfered' (transferred), and 'trasfred' (transferred). These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise technical vocabulary and ensure accuracy in spelling. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the process, but it lacks the flexibility and precision expected at higher levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'Process starts above ground' is missing an article, and 'two steps done below ground' is a sentence fragment. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and awkward phrasing, such as 'turbine is connected with generator in which steam creates turbine movement and which will get transformed into electricity'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences would significantly improve your performance.

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

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