Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-14
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 process diagram demonstrates the production of electricity with the use of geothermal energy in geothermal power plant. Overall, it is noaticeable that the process consist of linear 5 steps. It begins with the presence of cold water and ends with the production of electricity in power plant.
Turning to the details,the cold water is pumped down towards the injected well, which has a depth of 4.5 km. Secondly, the cold water has been moved toward the geothermal zone which has hot rocks for heating water, then the hot water is passed to the production well. Afterward, hot water is pumped up to the condenser. It produces steam with the help of turbines where production of electricity is started. Lastly, the generator is powdered by turbine and produces the electricity. This generator is directly connected to the transformer. From this point, electricity is delivered to houses around the world.
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 student provides an overview of the diagram and outlines the main steps involved in generating electricity using geothermal energy. Key features are reported, such as pumping cold water down to a depth of 4.5 km, heating it via hot rocks, and turning it into steam. However, there is a penalty because the length check reports that the response contains 149 words, falling one word short of the 150-word minimum requirement. Furthermore, while the process is largely described, the conclusion that electricity is delivered to 'houses around the world' is an overstatement not supported by a local geothermal plant diagram. Because of the under-length word count penalty and minor task interpretation issues, a band score of 5.5 is appropriate.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is divided into an introductory paragraph and a body paragraph. There is a basic attempt to sequence the stages using transition markers such as 'Turning to the details', 'Secondly', 'then', 'Afterward', and 'Lastly'. However, the overall paragraphing is weak, grouping almost the entire process description into a single lengthy paragraph. Additionally, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as 'This generator is directly connected to the transformer. From this point, electricity is delivered...', where the flow between sentences feels slightly mechanical. Progression is evident, but the structural organisation prevents the text from achieving a higher band. Coherence and cohesion align with a band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with domain-specific terms such as 'geothermal energy', 'condenser', 'turbines', 'generator', and 'transformer'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('noaticeable' instead of noticeable, 'consist' instead of consists) and awkward word choices or collocations ('generator is powdered by turbine' instead of powered). The student attempts some less common vocabulary, but the frequent lexical inaccuracies and spelling slips restrict the score. The range of vocabulary is sufficient for a band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as the relative clause in 'the injected well, which has a depth of 4.5 km'. However, there are notable grammatical errors and tense inconsistencies throughout the text. For instance, the student writes 'the cold water has been moved toward' and 'the process consist of linear 5 steps'. Articles are sometimes misused or omitted ('in geothermal power plant', 'in power plant'). While the meaning remains clear despite these errors, they occur frequently enough to prevent the writing from reaching the next band. Grammatical range and accuracy meet the descriptors for a band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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