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 diagram illustrates the process of geothermal energy is used to create electricity.

Overall, The process of producing electricity from geothermal power plant from five stages such as: cold water storing, cold water pumping down to the injection well, the cold water goes from injection well to the production well for the hot water, the hot water pumping upwards to the condenser to make steam, the steam goes through the turbine and generator to produce energy and deliver to the electricty city polls through the electic lines.

Intially, the cold water is stored in the dams, after that cold water pumping down 4.5km to the injection well. From the injection well the cold water goes through the geothermal zone (hot rocks) and cold water reaches to the production well to heat the water from cold.

Furthermore, the hot water pumping upwards to the condenser to make steam from the hot water. The steam passes through the turbine and generator to produce the electricity and deliver to the city electic polls through the electic lines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of how a geothermal power plant produces electricity. It successfully highlights key features, such as the 4.5 km depth of the injection well, the heating process in the geothermal zone, and the generation of steam and electricity. However, the response sits at a middle band because some parts of the process are presented with limited extension. For instance, the transition from the condenser to the turbine and the role of the generator are slightly underdeveloped and repetitive. An overview is provided at the beginning, but it reads more like a detailed list of stages rather than a synthesised summary of the overall process. To reach a higher band, the overview should more clearly capture the overarching mechanism, and the description of the intermediate steps should be more thoroughly extended.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the information logically, moving from an introduction to the sequential stages of the diagram. Paragraphing is used to separate the initial stages from the subsequent ones. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical and faulty. Phrases like 'Intially' (which also contains a spelling error) and 'Furthermore' are used, but referencing and logical flow are occasionally disrupted by repetitive phrasing, such as 'cold water' and 'hot water' appearing multiple times in close proximity. The progression within paragraphs lacks fluidity, making the relationships between sentences feel slightly disjointed. To achieve a higher band, you need to employ more sophisticated and flexible cohesive devices, ensure smoother transitions between ideas, and avoid repetitive sentence openings.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the basic steps of the process using terms directly from the prompt, such as 'injection well', 'production well', 'condenser', and 'turbine'. However, the range is limited and the response relies heavily on repetitive language, repeatedly stating 'cold water' and 'hot water'. There are also several lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'electricty city polls' instead of 'electricity pylons' or transmission poles, and 'storing' used as a noun stage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they restrict the vocabulary score. To improve, you should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms and less common lexical items related to engineering and industrial processes, while paying closer attention to exact collocations and word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response exhibits a limited range of grammatical structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic active voice constructions. There are frequent errors in grammar and sentence architecture, particularly with verb forms and prepositions. For example, the opening sentence contains a structural flaw ('The diagram illustrates the process of geothermal energy is used to create electricity'), and phrases like 'cold water pumping down' lack auxiliary verbs or correct participial phrasing. Prepositional usage is also occasionally inaccurate, as seen in 'deliver to the electricty city polls through the electic lines'. Complex structures, where attempted, often contain errors that draw attention. To improve, you need to incorporate a greater variety of complex sentences with dependent clauses, ensure accurate subject-verb agreement, and exercise tighter control over passive voice and participial phrases.

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

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