Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-16

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of producing electricity from geothermal energy.

Overall, the process consists of many sequential stages, begins when the cold water pumped down into the geothermal zone where its temperature changes. The hot water is then pumped into the condenser where stream is produced. After that, the stream is use to to move the turbine engine. The turbine is used to generate electricity, when then transferred to grid stations.

The process begins when the cold water is pumped down to 4.5km below the earth surface in injection well. Next, the cold water is passed through geothermal zone, where hot tocks changes it temperature and the temperature of the water rises. Then, the hot water is pumped up through production well into the condenser.

Inside condenser, the hot water vapourizes and changes into the steam. Afterwards, the steam is passed through turbine where the turbine begins to move. The moving turbine then accelerates the generator, as a result electricity is produced. Afterwards, the electricity is supplied to grid stations by the help of long steel towers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully covers all the main steps shown in the process diagram, from the initial injection of cold water at a depth of 4.5 km, through the geothermal zone and production well, to the condenser, turbine, generator, and finally the electricity transmission. An overview is provided in the opening sentence and elaborated in the second paragraph, capturing the sequential nature of the process. Key details such as the 4.5 km depth and the role of the hot rocks are accurately reported. However, there are minor typos in terminology, such as 'stream' instead of 'steam' and 'tocks' instead of 'rocks', but overall the core information is well-selected and clearly reported.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is clearly organised into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs detailing the stages of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Next', 'Then', and 'Afterwards' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the sequence. Paragraphing is logical, grouping the underground phase and the above-ground phase effectively. Although referencing is occasionally slightly repetitive ('The process begins...', 'The process begins...'), logical progression is maintained throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process diagram, using terms like 'geothermal energy', 'injection well', 'condenser', 'vapourizes', and 'transmission pylon'. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'accelerates the generator' and 'geothermal zone', though some word choices are slightly imprecise. There are also a few spelling and typographical errors, such as 'stream' for 'steam' and 'tocks' for 'rocks', but these do not impede overall communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses ('where its temperature changes') and passive voice constructions ('is pumped down', 'is passed through'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'begins when the cold water pumped down' (missing auxiliary/verb), 'the stream is use to to move' (double preposition and typo), and 'by the help of' (non-standard prepositional phrase). However, these errors rarely impede overall comprehension, and many simple sentences remain error-free.

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

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