Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-03

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 process shown in the diagram is a representation of how geothermal power plant is used to produce geothermal electricity.

Overall, the process consists of 5 steps. Mechanical and electrical activities are involved in most of these steps. The entire process undergoes both, on surface and under ground processes.The first task involves cold water being pumped into the surface of the land through a long tunnel which is 4.5 kms deep.

This water through the tunnel reached the injection well. After which the water through a geothermal zone with hot rocks where the temperature of the water increases.The water then reaches the production well where the water is pumped up. In the 4th step the water is exposed and condensed in order for the steam to pass to the final step.

Finally, the turbine is powered by the steam which helps the turbine rotate fast eventually helping the generator to produce electricity which reaches the designated area through a powerplant.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the geothermal power plant process. It successfully selects key features such as the depth of 4.5 km, the injection well, the geothermal zone, the production well, and the generation of electricity. However, some aspects of the process are under-developed or described with slight inaccuracies, such as stating that water is pumped into the surface through a tunnel rather than an injection well, and mentioning that the process undergoes both 'on surface and under ground processes' without fully elaborating how they integrate. The overview identifies the total number of steps, which provides a basic structural summary, but the explanation lacks the extended detail needed to move to a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear progression from the initial pumping of cold water down to the final generation of electricity. Paragraphing is used to break down the stages, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological flow of the diagram. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as 'This water', 'After which', and 'Finally'. However, referencing is occasionally mechanical or repetitive, and some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, such as the sudden shift into the fourth step. To reach a higher level, the response would need smoother logical transitions and more precise referencing throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey the main mechanical steps of the diagram using appropriate terms like 'generator', 'turbine', 'condenser', and 'geothermal zone'. There are successful attempts to use less common vocabulary, though this is accompanied by some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'surface of the land through a long tunnel' instead of a well, and 'the water through a geothermal zone'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, but refining collocations and word choices would elevate the lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, successfully using relative clauses and participial phrases, such as 'cold water being pumped into the surface' and 'the turbine is powered by the steam which helps the turbine rotate fast'. There are some grammatical errors and awkward structures, including missing articles ('a geothermal power plant'), preposition errors ('pumped into the surface'), and punctuation slips like missing commas and a stray period in the middle of a sentence. These errors are typical of the band, showing a mix of error-free clauses alongside occasional faulty structures that rarely impede overall communication.

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

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