Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-17
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)
Over all the diagram illustrate the process of conversion of geothermal energy into electricity in a geothermal power plant.
The whole process consist of five main stages. Initially the process begins with the cold water being pumped down in the injection well and that leads towards the production of hot water coming up which later convert into electricity.
In the first stage, the cold water is pumped down in injection well with the depth of 4.5 km. Then it passes through the injection well to the geothermal zome where the hot rocks heat up the cold water. The hot water is pumped back to the surface with the production well.
Once the hot water comes up to the surface it enters the condenser which turned into steam. The steam then enters the turbine which causing it to rotate. Finally, the turbine power then leads towards the generator which make the production of electricity possible.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarising the main features of the geothermal energy production process and including key details such as the depth of 4.5 km and the stages from cold water injection to electricity generation. An overview is provided in the opening paragraph, stating that the diagram illustrates the conversion of geothermal energy into electricity. The stages are reported logically in sequence, starting with the cold water being pumped down the injection well, passing through the hot rocks in the geothermal zone, and returning as hot water to create steam that drives a turbine and generator. The features are accurately grounded in the visual data, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response has a clear overall progression, dividing the process into logical paragraphs that follow the stages of the diagram sequentially. The introduction sets the topic, the second paragraph gives an overview of the five main stages, and the subsequent paragraphs detail the specific steps. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'In the first stage', 'Once', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the process, though some phrasing feels slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body steps. Overall, the organization is coherent and easy to follow, aligning well with Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating process-specific terms such as 'geothermal energy', 'injection well', 'production well', 'condenser', 'turbine', and 'generator'. However, there are some lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'Over all' (written as two words), 'zome' (spelling error for zone), 'turned into steam' (should be active or passive correctly, e.g., 'turns into steam'), and 'which causing it to rotate'. While the range is sufficient to convey the information clearly, these inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('...cold water being pumped down in the injection well and that leads towards...') and temporal clauses ('Once the hot water comes up...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, including preposition misuse ('pumped down in injection well'), subject-verb agreement issues ('the diagram illustrate'), and awkward verb forms ('which turned into steam', 'which causing it to rotate', 'which make the production'). These errors occasionally cause minor strain for the reader but do not impede overall communication, fitting the Band 6.0 profile.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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