Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-27
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 5.0)
The diagram illustrates how the electricity is generated using geothermal energy.
Overall, the process consists of 5 stage, beginning with cold water pumped down through injection well and ending with producing electricity.
At the initial stage, cold water is pump down through the injection well, followed by the injection well, the cold water is transferred through geothermal zone whic is also called hot rocks. Then the cold water transformed into hot water and pumped up through the production well. The pumped water get into condenser to form steam.
Following this, power in turbine is generate through steam, power obtain by turbine is transport to generator to produce electricity. Lastly, the produces electricity is transferred into a pole to generate the electricity.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the geothermal energy process diagram, identifying the key stages from the cold water tank down through the injection well, the geothermal zone, the production well, the condenser, the turbine, and finally the generator. However, the response falls significantly short of the word count requirement, containing only 121 words compared to the minimum of 150. Consequently, the development of the ideas is somewhat restricted, and certain details, such as the specific depth of 4.5 km, are omitted. While the overall process is outlined logically, the under-length penalty prevents the task achievement score from reaching a higher band. To improve, the writer must ensure all instructions, including minimum word counts and thorough coverage of visual details, are fully satisfied.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organised into four brief paragraphs that follow the chronological sequence of the diagram. The writer uses basic cohesive devices and transition markers such as 'Overall', 'At the initial stage', 'Then', 'Following this', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader through the process. However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, with very short paragraphs that lack deeper development. Referencing is occasionally repetitive or vague, such as 'the produces electricity is transferred into a pole'. While logical organisation is present, the mechanical use of cohesive devices and the lack of sustained cohesion place this response firmly in Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student employs a limited but adequate range of vocabulary relevant to the task, successfully using terms such as 'geothermal energy', 'injection well', 'geothermal zone', 'condenser', 'turbine', and 'generator'. However, there are notable word-choice and morphological errors throughout the text, such as 'how the electricity is generated' (unnecessary article), '5 stage' (missing plural), 'cold water is pump down' (incorrect verb form), 'whic' (spelling error), and 'produces electricity' instead of 'produced electricity'. These errors indicate a restricted lexical range with noticeable inaccuracies, making Band 5 the most appropriate descriptor.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and adverbial time markers. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, featuring multiple frequent errors. Examples include missing articles ('through injection well'), subject-verb agreement or tense errors ('cold water is pump down', 'power in turbine is generate', 'power obtain', 'is transport'), and spelling or typographical errors ('whic'). Although these errors do not completely obscure the overall meaning of the process, they occur frequently enough to impede smooth reading and prevent the response from achieving a Band 6.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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