Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

hey today we discuss about how geothermal energy is used to produced electricity by the help of this image

first we can see in this the 1st point is we can see the tank of cold water then the cold water is pumped 4.5 km down to earth by the help of pump then the 2nd point is the injection well is the cold water is run in hot rocks in the earth thats also called as geothermal zone and then the 3rd point is water pumped back to up by the help of pump its called as the production well then we can see the 4th point is condenser who can push the steam of hot water to turbine and then 5th point is generator by the help of steam and turbine the generator it has been sarted and produced electricity then the electricity is go to city

this is the whole process or produced electricity by gethermal power plant and we also can seen and understand this process by the help of this image

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to outline the process of how geothermal energy is used to produce electricity, the information is presented in a very informal, conversational style rather than an appropriate academic summary. Key stages from the diagram are mentioned, such as pumping cold water 4.5 km down into the injection well, the geothermal zone with hot rocks, the production well bringing hot water up, the condenser, and the turbine and generator producing electricity. However, the explanation lacks a clear overview and presents the steps in a continuous, rambling sequence without proper selection or structuring. Ideas are limited and under-developed, relying heavily on direct narration of the diagram elements using conversational phrases like 'hey today we discuss' and 'as we can see', rather than maintaining a formal academic register.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation evident in how the writer follows the steps of the diagram chronologically, starting with the cold water tank and ending with the generator producing electricity. However, there is no clear overall progression or paragraphing, as the entire response is written as one long, continuous run-on sentence. Cohesive devices are inadequate and repetitive, heavily relying on 'then' and 'by the help of' to link clauses together. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the lack of proper punctuation, capitalisation, and paragraph breaks means the text is difficult to follow and lacks logical segmentation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The writer manages to include some relevant terms from the diagram such as 'geothermal zone', 'injection well', 'production well', 'condenser', 'turbine', and 'generator'. However, there is a lack of range and precision, and the style is entirely inappropriate for an academic task, featuring conversational openings and informal phrasing. There are also noticeable word choice and collocation issues, such as using 'pushed' or 'run' awkwardly, and the misspelling of 'geothermal' as 'gethermal'. These limitations cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The text displays a very limited range of structures, consisting almost entirely of a single, excessively long sentence joined by coordinating conjunctions and run-on clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles, incorrect prepositions, and a total lack of standard punctuation. Examples of errors include 'to produced electricity' instead of 'to produce', 'water pumped back to up', and 'the electricity is go to city'. Attempts at complex structures are faulty, and frequent errors in verb forms and agreement cause considerable difficulty for the reader, keeping the grammatical score at this lower level.

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