Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-10

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 6.5)

The diagram depicts the process on the production of elctricity through geothermal energy.

Overall, the production of energy is explained through a linear process with several stages. It begins with the pumping of cold and hot water, followed by condensation, the spinning of turbine, and finally, the generating of electricity from a generator.

To begin with, cold water is pumped underground for about 4.5km before injecting the well. The water will go through hot rocks in the production well, causing water to heat up. Following this, the hot water is pumped above the ground to undergo condensation process.

Subsequently, the water will be sent to a condenser to transform this into steam due to the heat. The steam will be transferred to a turbine, where the steam will trigger it to to spin. Finally, the generator will receive the energy from the turbine and produce electricity and supply to electrial pylons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence from pumping cold water underground to generating electricity, and the overview identifies the process as a series of stages. The 4.5 km depth is also reported accurately. However, some details are unclear or misrepresented: the water passes through the geothermal zone of hot rocks before rising in the production well, rather than going “through hot rocks in the production well.” The condenser is described as receiving hot water and producing steam, but the account first calls this a “condensation process,” which obscures the stage. The overview also says both cold and hot water are pumped at the start, although only cold water is initially pumped down. A more precise overview and clearer explanation of the wells and heating stage would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two chronological detail paragraphs. Sequencing expressions such as “To begin with,” “Following this,” “Subsequently” and “Finally” make the process easy to follow, and the reader can generally trace the movement from underground to the generator. Some linking is slightly mechanical, however, and the division between the final two paragraphs creates repetition: the hot water’s arrival at the surface and its passage to the condenser are described across both. The reference in “transform this into steam” is also not fully clear. Grouping the stages more tightly and using precise references to water, steam and equipment would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “pumped underground,” “hot rocks,” “condenser,” “steam,” “turbine” and “generator,” so the main stages are understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, limiting precision: “process on the production” is not idiomatic, “before injecting the well” misuses “injecting,” and “undergo condensation process” does not accurately describe the conversion of hot water into steam. There are also spelling errors in “elctricity” and “electrial,” and “spinning of turbine” needs a more natural form. Aim for accurate process verbs and standard collocations, such as “water is injected into the well” and “the turbine is driven by steam.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the overview sentence with a sequence of stages and the clause “where the steam will trigger it to to spin.” The overall meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors persist. For example, “the spinning of turbine” is missing an article, “causing water to heat up” has an unclear relationship to the preceding clause, and “the generator will receive the energy from the turbine and produce electricity and supply to…” has an incomplete parallel structure. The repeated “to” in “to to spin” is another clear slip. Check articles, clause connections and parallel verb forms, and vary the repeated future construction “will” with accurate present simple forms commonly used to describe processes.

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