Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-15

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)

In this diagram,the complete process of how geothermal energy produces electricity. Firstly cold water is used for this purpose then the cold water is pumped down in to the ground , 4.5 km underneath the ground.After that it is going through the injection well then the water travels a wide area under the land it experiences the hot rocks that is called the Geothermal Zone, in this process the cold water in converted in to hot water . The hot water is then goes to the production well for the real production of electricity , hot water is pumped up like its the reverse of the previous process . Now the water is condensed through the process called condensation in the condensor it converts the water into steam the steam then go to a turbine that rotates and which is actually powered be that steam which came after a long process of water traveling under the ground .At last the the steam goes in the generator which is powered by the turbine and it actually produces the electricity. Finally,electricity will go to the power supplies which will further distributed to the peoples houses and other areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You describe the main sequence from cold water being pumped underground to electricity generation, and you correctly include the 4.5 km depth, geothermal zone, production well, steam, turbine and generator. However, the account is largely a step-by-step description rather than a concise summary with a clear overview of the process. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the water is heated as it passes through the hot rocks, but the condenser does not condense water; it produces steam from the hot water. The final claim that electricity is distributed to people’s houses is not shown in the diagram, which only indicates transmission lines. State the overall transformation clearly, then report the stages accurately and avoid adding unsupported details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “After that,” “Now” and “At last” help the reader follow the process. This gives the response some overall organisation. However, nearly all the information is placed in one long paragraph, and several sentences run together, making the progression harder to follow. Some links are also repetitive or imprecise, such as “then” appearing repeatedly, while “Finally” follows “At last” without adding a distinct stage. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and the process details, and connect each stage with clear, varied references to the water, steam and machinery.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “Geothermal Zone,” “turbine” and “generator,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “pumped down” and “powered by steam.” However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward: “real production of electricity” does not describe the production well, and “power supplies” is not the best term for the transmission lines shown. Spelling errors such as “condensor” and “be” for “by,” along with repeated use of “water” and “process,” limit precision. Choose standard technical terms and avoid conversational phrases such as “like its the reverse.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine stages using clauses and sequencing phrases, but sentence structures are often faulty, and errors sometimes make relationships between actions unclear. For example, “In this diagram,the complete process” is a sentence fragment, while “the hot water is then goes” incorrectly combines two verb forms. In “the cold water in converted,” the verb form is also incorrect, and “the steam then go” has a subject–verb agreement error. Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention: several stages are joined into very long sentences, and commas are missing after introductory phrases. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses while checking verb forms and agreement.

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