Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram describes the process by which geothermal energy is harnessed to generate electricity through a five-stage system. Overall, the process relies on underground geothermal heat to convert water into steam, which drives a turbine to produce electrical power and sent to the tower.

The cycle begins with cold water being pumped down to a depth of 4.5km through an injection well. As the water passes through the geothermal zone, it is heated by the surrounding hot rocks. Following this, the heated water is forced upward through the production well.

In the subsequent stage, the boiling water turns into a steam by a condenser. This hits the curved blades of the turbine, causing it to spin rapidly. This mechanical action powers a connected generator, which converts the rotational energy energy into electricity. Finally, the generated electric power is distributed directly to the transmission towers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student has successfully summarised the main features of the geothermal energy diagram, outlining the five-stage process from injection to electricity generation and transmission. The overview captures the core mechanism accurately. Key stages, such as the injection well, geothermal zone, production well, turbine, and generator, are appropriately reported and compared where relevant. However, a minor technical inaccuracy occurs in the third paragraph when stating that the boiling water turns into steam "by a condenser" (the diagram typically shows steam separation or flashing before the condenser). Furthermore, the length requirement has not been met, as the text contains 144 words, falling six words short of the 150-word minimum. This results in a slight penalty to the Task Achievement score, placing it firmly at band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is arranged logically into a clear introduction and three developmental paragraphs that mirror the sequential stages of the diagram. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the process, with transition markers such as "Overall", "The cycle begins", "Following this", and "In the subsequent stage". Paragraphing is handled well, separating the introduction, the underground phase, and the surface generation phase effectively. Referencing is generally clear, though minor mechanical phrasing slightly affects the flow, such as the dangling clause "and sent to the tower" in the introduction. Overall, the organisation supports clear progression throughout the text, corresponding well to the band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and relevant to the technical nature of the task, featuring terms such as "harnessed", "geothermal heat", "injection well", "rotational energy", and "transmission towers". There are successful attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some lexical choices or collocations are slightly imprecise or repetitive, such as "energy energy" (a duplication error). The range is sufficient to describe the process with some flexibility and precision, despite occasional awkward phrasing like "turns into a steam by a condenser". The lexical resource demonstrates solid band 6 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and participial phrases, as seen in "The diagram describes the process by which geothermal energy is harnessed..." and "cold water being pumped down...". There are several error-free sentences, showing good overall control. However, a few grammatical slips are present, such as the passive voice error "and sent to the tower" (which lacks a subject or auxiliary verb relative to the preceding clause) and the redundant article in "turns into a steam". Punctuation is generally accurate, and these errors do not impede communication, supporting a solid band 6.0 score.

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

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