Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-06
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 illustration gives information about the energy production from geothermal power plant. Overall, electricity production involve different steps from changing cold water to hot and then from this steam is produce by condenser and these it power the turbine, generator. Thus, energy is produced from this.
It is quite evident from the diagram the energy formation involve five step. However, in first step cold water is pumped down to 4.5 km. Next the injection well from which this water inter to the geothermal zone and these are hot rock,which change the cold water into hot water. At the end of this there are many production well, as water passes from hot reign so this become hot and this hot water pumped up by these well.
Furthermore, at the end of this chamber condenser is attached on top right side which absorb hot water and change this into steam which give power to the turbine, next to it is generator which is powered by turbine and these produce electricity. At last, electricity tower is attached which help to transfer the energy into different location.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the task by providing an overview of how a geothermal power plant generates electricity and describing the main stages shown in the diagram. An overview is present at the beginning, noting that electricity production involves changing cold water to hot water, creating steam, and powering turbines and generators. However, some parts of the response are under-developed or lack clarity, particularly regarding the sequence of components. For example, the student states that the condenser produces the steam before it reaches the turbine, which misinterprets the precise order and mechanical relationship in the visual data. Additionally, some details, such as the 4.5 km depth, are mentioned, but the description remains somewhat limited in its extension and precise mechanical reporting, placing it firmly at this level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The text maintains a coherent overall arrangement and attempts a logical progression from the initial pumping of cold water down the injection well to the final transmission of electricity via power towers. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the introduction from the underground processes and the surface generation phase. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, with awkward transitional phrases like 'At the end of this' and 'At last' used repeatedly. Furthermore, referencing is not always clear, as seen in pronouns like 'these it power the turbine' and 'change this into steam', which creates confusion regarding what specific elements are being referenced. These mechanical cohesive devices and occasional referencing lapses prevent the writing from achieving a higher level of fluency.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'geothermal power plant', 'injection well', 'condenser', 'turbine', 'generator', and 'electricity'. However, there are noticeable limitations in lexical control and frequent word choice errors that impede natural expression. For instance, words are used incorrectly in terms of collocation and word form, such as 'production involve', 'energy formation', 'hot reign' instead of 'region', and 'electricity tower' instead of 'transmission pylon' or 'electricity pylon'. Spelling and lexical slips also occur, such as 'inter' instead of 'enter'. These issues restrict the range of vocabulary and demonstrate only a basic control over lexical items.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some capacity to construct multi-clause sentences, such as 'Next the injection well from which this water inter to the geothermal zone and these are hot rock,which change the cold water into hot water.' However, there is a limited range of structures successfully controlled, and attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are numerous grammatical errors involving verb forms, subject-verb agreement, and articles, including 'electricity production involve', 'energy formation involve five step', 'in first step', and 'steam is produce'. Punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after commas and run-on structures, also persist. While communication is rarely completely blocked, these frequent errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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