Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-05

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of utilizing geothermal energy to generate electricity.

Overall, this electricity generation process consists of 5 distinct steps. It starts from pumping cold water in the well and ends at the generation of electricity in the generator.

In the first step, cool water is pumped down into the underground well. The well is very deep in the ground and is 4.5 kilometers long. In the second step, water reaches the injection well from where it passes through geothermal zone. Temperature of the geothermal zone is very high due to hot rocks and this zone turns cold water into hot water. Next step in this process is pumping up of hot water from the production well into the condenser.

The condenser is present on ground. Water is converted into steam inside the condenser in the second last step. Finally, in the last step steam from condenser is passed to the turbine which is powered by steam. The turbine now gives power to the generator that produces electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing an overview of the geothermal energy process and reporting the main features, such as the 4.5-kilometer depth and the sequence from cold water injection to electricity generation. It earns a solid mid-level score because while the main stages are outlined, some parts are slightly under-developed or described with basic detail. For instance, the transition from the injection well through the geothermal zone to the production well could be integrated more smoothly to highlight the complete closed-loop mechanism. To reach the next level, the writer should ensure that all mechanical stages are extended with precise descriptions of how thermal energy is transferred rather than relying on brief, sequential listing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The text demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout, moving systematically from the introduction of cold water at the surface to final electricity generation. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, overall summary, subsurface processes, and surface generation stages. Cohesive devices such as 'In the first step', 'Next step', and 'Finally' are employed to guide the reader, although referencing can occasionally feel a bit mechanical. To achieve a higher band, the writer could incorporate more sophisticated, less repetitive cohesive transitions and ensure smoother referencing between sentences to make the overall flow completely seamless and natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms like 'geothermal zone', 'injection well', 'production well', 'condenser', and 'turbine'. There are successful attempts at less common vocabulary, though some word choices and phrasing display occasional slight awkwardness, such as 'cool water' instead of 'cold water' or 'temperature of the geothermal zone is very high'. Spelling and word choice errors do not impede communication. To move up to a higher band, the writer needs to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of less common lexical items with precise collocations and a more sophisticated academic style throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic structures and accurate punctuation. There are some errors in grammar, particularly regarding article usage and prepositions, such as 'is very deep in the ground' and 'from where it passes through geothermal zone' missing a necessary article. However, these errors are relatively minor and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the mechanical process easily. To reach the next level, the writer must incorporate a greater variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences, ensuring strict accuracy with articles, determiners, and prepositional phrases inside complex syntactic patterns.

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

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