Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-04
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 5.5)
The flow diagram illustrates the way of producing electricity by using georthermal energy.
The five steps process starts with pumping cold water down and ends with generate electricity by a generator and distributing electrisity by using a electric tower. The first part of the process starts in georthermal zone combined with cool and hot water and the second part starts with the steam in condensor.
Firstly, cool water pumped downwards upto 4.5km to the purpose of high injection. Then, it goes through a geothermal zone within the heated rocks from left to right with the purpose of proper production. After that, heated water pumped upwards towards condenser.
Within the condensor, hot water translated to steam and it passes through a small line. Moreover, the turbine functions with the power of steam and it causes the generation of electricity within the generator. Afterall, pthe electricity distributed all over the area by using a tower.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main features of the geothermal energy production process, successfully noting key stages such as pumping cold water down, passing through hot rocks, vaporising in a condenser, and operating a turbine and generator. However, the explanation remains somewhat limited and mechanical. For instance, the overview provided in the second paragraph is underdeveloped and slightly confused regarding the structural parts of the diagram, mentioning a 'geothermal zone combined with cool and hot water'. While the sequence of steps is generally present, the description lacks fully extended details for certain stages, preventing the response from achieving a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response presents an overall coherent arrangement with a clear paragraph-by-paragraph structure that attempts to follow the chronological stages of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Then', 'After that', and 'Moreover' are used to signal progression, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is occasionally slightly unclear or clumsy, such as 'within the heated rocks from left to right with the purpose of proper production', which disrupts the natural flow of ideas. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, overview, and individual steps of the diagram.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, with attempts to incorporate less common items related to the process, such as 'geothermal zone', 'condenser', 'turbine', and 'generator'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('georthermal', 'electrisity', 'condensor') and awkward word choices or collocations ('for the purpose of high injection', 'hot water translated to steam'). While these lexical slips and inaccuracies do not completely impede communication, they restrict the vocabulary score, as precision and control over spelling and word formation are limited.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and sentence structure is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly concerning verb forms, passive voice constructions, and articles (e.g., 'ends with generate electricity', 'cool water pumped downwards' missing the auxiliary verb, 'heated water pumped upwards', 'the electricity distributed'). These frequent structural and agreement errors can occasionally cause difficulty or hesitation for the reader, reflecting a limited range of accurately controlled complex structures.
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