Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The image describes the way of produce electricity by using geothermal energy. Overall, the way of producing electricity we need basic 5 commonents.

as we see 1st the cold water go downward aouit 4.5km. Than the injecter where the hot rocks are buried under the surface, than water flow into rockes than convert cold water into hot water. However, the water goes up again by usnig production well. after that the water enter in the condenser where it chnages into steam, that move to the turbine, the place in which steam into power. At th end the generater produce electricity by using trubine steam. For example, as the turbine and generator work on same thing steam, the main component of electricity.

In conclusion, the diagram is basically the p[rocess of produce elelcrticity by using the method of geothermal way.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response attempts to summarise the geothermal energy diagram, outlining the key stages from the cold water tank down 4.5 km to the hot rocks, through the production well to the condenser, steam, turbine, and finally the generator. However, the word count falls short of the required 150-word minimum, containing only 139 words. This negative length constraint requires a penalty under Task Achievement. Additionally, some parts of the process are described with limited clarity, such as awkward phrasing like 'we need basic 5 commonents' and confusing mechanical explanations. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of full development and failure to meet the minimum length requirement keep the score at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text is organized into an introduction, a body section, and a brief concluding sentence, but the overall progression lacks smooth transitions and sophistication. Paragraphing is rudimentary. The writer attempts to sequence steps using linking words and phrases such as '1st', 'Than', 'However', 'after that', and 'At th end'. However, the mechanical and repetitive use of these connectors, combined with spelling and punctuation errors (e.g., lower-case beginnings of sentences like 'as we see 1st'), disrupts the flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall cohesion feels disjointed rather than naturally unified.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, heavily reliant on simple terms directly lifted from the prompt or basic descriptions (e.g., 'cold water', 'hot water', 'steam', 'turbine', 'generator'). There are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, such as 'commonents' for components, 'aouit' for about, 'injecter' for injector, 'rockes' for rocks, 'usnig' for using, 'chnages' for changes, and 'generater' for generator. These errors and the limited range of vocabulary restrict the lexical score, as the writer struggles to demonstrate flexibility or precision when discussing the process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and faulty attempts at complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors, incorrect prepositions, and missing auxiliary verbs, such as 'the way of produce electricity' instead of 'producing', 'cold water go downward' instead of 'goes', and 'the water enter in the condenser' instead of 'enters the condenser'. Punctuation is also weak, with several sentences running together or starting with lower-case letters. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a weak control over basic sentence construction.

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