Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-09

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 6.0)

The diagram below illustrates how geothermal energy is utilized to produce electricity.

Overall, the diagram shows how geothermal power plant is used to produce electricity in five main steps explained below.

Firstly, the cold water is pumped down through the injection well. The injection well is 4.5km long. The cold water runs through the injection well to the geothermal zone (hot rocks).Here the water turns hot. The hot water then passes through the production well from where it is pumped up to the condenser. The production well is also 4.5 km long. The hot water then reaches to condenser. A condenser is a thermal device used to cool hot gas or vapor and convert it into a liquid by removing its latent heat and producing steam. The steam passes through the turbine which is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a moving fluid (such as water, steam, gas, or wind) and converts it into useful rotational power or electricity. The electricity is then send to the power plant.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a sequence and include several key stages: cold water is sent down the injection well, heated in the geothermal zone, and brought up through the production well before reaching the condenser. However, the overview is vague, and the account does not clearly explain the final conversion to electricity: the turbine drives a generator, which produces electricity. The claim that the production well is also 4.5 km long is not supported by the diagram; the depth label applies to the injection well. The lengthy definitions of the condenser and turbine are not shown in the visual and take space away from describing the actual process. A more complete, concise account of the stages and their connections would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the process in a generally logical order, using “Firstly,” “then,” and “Here” to guide the reader from the wells towards the surface equipment. This gives the account an understandable overall progression. However, it is presented as one paragraph, so the overview and detailed stages are not clearly separated. Some links are also repetitive, particularly the repeated references to the hot water reaching the condenser. The long explanatory definitions interrupt the sequence rather than connecting the diagram’s stages. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a paragraph tracing the water and steam through the equipment, and use clear references such as “this steam” to maintain flow without repeating information.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a good range of process-related vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “production well,” “condenser,” and “turbine.” The technical terms are generally relevant and help identify the equipment accurately. There is also some variety in describing movement, such as “pumped down,” “passes through,” and “pumped up.” At times, however, the wording is unnecessarily elaborate or not well matched to the diagram: the extended definitions of the condenser and turbine are less useful than precise descriptions of their roles in this process. Phrases such as “reaches to condenser” and “send to the power plant” are also awkward or imprecise. Prefer concise, natural process language and describe electricity as being generated and transmitted.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and longer structures, including the relative clause “from where it is pumped up to the condenser,” and the sequence is usually understandable. However, some grammatical errors remain. In “how geothermal power plant is used,” the article is missing; “reaches to condenser” has an unnecessary preposition and lacks an article; and “The electricity is then send” uses the wrong past participle. The sentence beginning “A condenser is a thermal device…” is also long and difficult to control, with several ideas crowded together. Aim for shorter, accurate sentences when describing each stage, and check articles, verb forms, and prepositions during editing.

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