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 procedure for the production of electricity through geothermal energy.
Geothermal energy is main source of energy for generation of electricity. The diagram shows how this energy is used for electricity production. The main sources is cold water,injection wall, production well, condenser and also required generator and turbines.
The diagram shows complete process for electricity generation.firstly, the cold water enter into soil or earth through cold water pump and pumping down for about 4.5 km . there is a injection well through which this cold water moving and reaches to hot rocks that is geothermal zone. After striking to rocks, cold water is converted into hot water and move upward through productive well. Hot water then collect in the condenser that is present just above the production well. when hot water is collect in the condenser ,the stream produce from hot water strikes to turbine which is powered by steam. when turbine activates, it activates the generator which is responsible for electricity production. this is how electricity generates from geothermal energy.
The diagram overall shows that how electricity produce through geothermal energy step by step.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 parts of the task by outlining how geothermal energy is converted into electricity, but the coverage is only partial and contains repetitive elements. While the student identifies key stages such as cold water being pumped down, the geothermal zone, the production well, and the turbine, some ideas are under-developed or inaccurately described. For example, stating that the main sources are cold water and an 'injection wall' rather than an injection well shows a partial misunderstanding of specific labels in the diagram. Furthermore, the overall overview is overly repetitive, restating the process multiple times across the introduction and conclusion without adding substantial new detail or effectively synthesising the core mechanics of the plant.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response shows some organisation with a sequential outline of the diagram stages, but it lacks a clear overall progression. Paragraphing is poorly handled, as the body of the response is crammed into a single, dense paragraph that combines multiple steps without adequate separation. Cohesive devices are basic, repetitive, and sometimes mechanical, relying heavily on simple connectors like 'firstly' and 'then'. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear or confusing, such as pronoun use and transitional phrases like 'this is how electricity generates', which fails to smoothly tie the summary together or establish a logical flow between ideas.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts to use less-common vocabulary related to the process, such as 'condenser', 'generator', and 'geothermal zone', but these are undermined by noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word form. For instance, 'injection wall' is used instead of well, 'productive well' is used instead of production well, and 'stream' is used instead of steam. Other vocabulary slips, such as 'cold water enter into soil' and 'hot water is collect', cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a lack of precision in describing technical diagrams.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response relies on a very limited range of sentence structures, and attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are frequent errors in verb forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and articles throughout the text. Examples include 'cold water enter' instead of enters, 'is pumping down' instead of is pumped down, 'cold water moving' instead of moves, and 'electricity generates' instead of electricity is generated. Punctuation is also weak, with missing capitalisation at the beginning of sentences and erratic spacing around commas and periods. These frequent grammatical errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader.
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