Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-07

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 stages invovled in producing electricty from geothermal energy in a power plant.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that electricty making process follows a linear mechanised sequence that begins with cold water pumping down in a injection well and after processing the water create a stream that powers a turbine and at the end of the process electricity distributed to the homes.

Intially, there are two containers.one container which consits of cold water which pumped down by injection well under 4.5 km tunnel and geothermal zone consits of hot rocks causes hot water pumped up on another side of container by production well which also have 4.5 km tunnelwhich have a condenser.Furthermore,this condenser collect steam from the boiled water and powered up the turbine and rotating of the turbine produces electricity .Thus electricity distributed by generator to local lines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main process and include several key stages: cold water is sent down an injection well, heated by hot rocks, brought back up, and used to produce electricity. The overview also recognises the sequence from water to turbine and generator. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram shows one cold-water tank, not “two containers,” and it does not state that the production well is 4.5 km deep; the depth label applies to the injection well. The final distribution stage is also misreported: electricity is transmitted by power lines, rather than distributed by the generator to local lines or homes. The response is 143 words, below the required 150, and several stages need clearer explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing the stages. Its sequence is broadly logical, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Furthermore,” and “Thus” help signal progression. However, the final paragraph compresses many stages into one long sentence, making the relationships between the wells, geothermal zone, condenser, and turbine difficult to follow. The overview also introduces homes, which are not shown in the diagram, and the reference to “another side of container” is unclear. Use separate sentences for the underground heating stage and the surface electricity-generation stage, and use precise references to each component to make cohesion less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “condenser,” “turbine,” and “generator,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “stages involved” and “linear mechanised sequence.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “electricity making process,” “create a stream,” and “powered up the turbine” do not describe the process naturally. Spelling errors such as “invovled,” “electricty,” “Intially,” and “consits” are noticeable and reduce precision. Aim for standard process language—for example, say that water is heated, steam drives the turbine, and the generator produces electricity—and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which also have 4.5 km tunnel” and a sequence linked with “and.” However, control is limited, and errors in sentence construction and basic grammar sometimes make the process hard to understand. Examples include “cold water which pumped down,” “the water create a stream,” and “rotating of the turbine produces electricity”; these need appropriate verb forms and clearer grammatical patterns. Articles and agreement are also problematic in “in a injection well” and “which also have.” Punctuation is inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops and commas, and the final paragraph contains a run-on sentence. Build accuracy with shorter sentences before combining stages.

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