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 diagram illustrates the process of production of electricity through geothermal enery.

overall the process starts from the pumping down the cold water in the injection well and ends at the generators where the electricity is produce.

the process is start when the cold water is pumped down at the injection well beneath the earth at 4.5 km at the geothermal zone where the hot rocks are presents that hot rocks converts the cold water into the hot water then the hoter water is pumped up at condensor from the production well.

here, the process has been completed by 50% and in the condensor the hot waters turns into the steam then that steam move to the turbine where these turbines rotates at vey fast speed and shifts the steam to the generator where the generator is powered by turbines and produces the electricity from the steam at the end the electricity is transported to the transformers from where the electricity is transported to all over the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the geothermal energy production process, from pumping cold water down to the injection well at 4.5 km to the final generation of electricity. However, the task is only partially addressed because some details are underdeveloped or slightly inaccurate according to the diagram. For instance, the student states that the hot water is pumped up to a 'condenser' from the production well, whereas the diagram shows the production well leading into the condenser and releasing steam. Furthermore, the final stage introduces outside information not fully supported by the visual data, mentioning transmission to a city. To reach a higher band, all key features of the diagram must be reported accurately and thoroughly without misinterpreting the sequence or adding unsupported external details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation evident in the writing, with an attempt at an introduction and an overall summary of the process. However, the progression is hindered by poor paragraphing and a lack of clear overall progression. The response is essentially structured as a single massive block of text, making it difficult to follow the logical stages of the diagram. Cohesive devices are basic and repetitive, frequently relying on run-on structures and simple connectors like 'then' and 'here' rather than a variety of linking words. To improve, the student should divide the response into logical paragraphs corresponding to the stages of the process and employ a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to guide the reader smoothly through the sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to describe the basic process, including terms like 'generator', 'turbine', 'steam', and 'cold water'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'geothermal enery' (spelling), 'electricity is produce' (word form), and 'hoter water' (spelling). The student also struggles with precise collocation and vocabulary range, relying heavily on basic, repetitive terms. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a wider range of less common vocabulary with greater precision, such as 'harness', 'subterranean', and 'transmission', while eliminating basic spelling and word-form errors that detract from the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing exhibits a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple or poorly linked clauses. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to run-on sentences and punctuation failures, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters ('overall', 'the process', 'here'). There are frequent errors in verb forms, tense consistency, and articles, such as 'the process is start', 'hot rocks are presents that hot rocks converts', and 'in the condensor the hot waters turns'. These frequent grammatical errors cause some difficulty for the reader and impede the smooth delivery of the content. Improving control over basic sentence boundaries, subject-verb agreement, and verb tenses is essential for progress.

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

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