Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-23
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 illustrates a Geothermal power plant that uses five steps to produce electricity by using geothermal energy.
Starting with a tank filled with cold water, which is connected with the injection well through a pipe of length 4.5 km. Then the cold water is passed from the Earth's Geothermal zone (hot rocks), which converts cold water into hot water. Then the hot water enters the production well. From production well, a pump is used to pump hot water upwards to the surface. On the fourth step there is a Condenser, hot water is stored in it. Steam is produced from the hot water in the Condenser. Following with final step, this is where electricity is produced. Steam from the Condenser enters the last chamber, this is where the turbine and the generator are installed. Turbine uses steam to rotate turbine. With the rotation of turbine, magnetic field is produced. This magnetic field is used to power generator to produce electricity. Finally, electricity is transfered to the tower through cables.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the geothermal energy production process. The response accurately notes key details from the visual data, such as the 4.5 km depth of the injection well, the heating of water in the geothermal zone, the role of the condenser and turbine, and the final generation of electricity. An overview is present at the beginning, though it could be more fully developed to summarize the overall cyclical or multi-stage nature of the process. The information selected is well-grounded in the diagram, and no significant details are invented or misread, demonstrating a clear understanding of the visual source.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a clear overall progression, guiding the reader step-by-step through the five stages of the power plant's operation. Cohesive devices such as 'Starting with', 'Then', and 'Finally' are used to sequence the stages, although transitional markers become a bit repetitive with frequent use of 'Then'. Paragraphing is a weakness, as the entire body of the response is grouped into a single block of text rather than being broken down into logical paragraphs for the introduction, process description, and conclusion. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of paragraph breaks reduces the overall structural clarity.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a technical process, incorporating terms such as 'injection well', 'geothermal zone', 'condenser', 'turbine', and 'generator'. However, word choice and collocations are occasionally awkward or imprecise, such as 'transfered to the tower' instead of transmitted to a pylon. There are also minor spelling slips, such as 'transfered'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, meaning the lexical range remains sufficient for the task without reaching higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but suffers from several grammatical inaccuracies and sentence fragments. For instance, 'Starting with a tank filled with cold water, which is connected with the injection well through a pipe of length 4.5 km' is a sentence fragment. There are also minor mechanical and prepositional errors, such as 'connected with' instead of 'connected to', and passive voice inconsistencies. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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