Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-16

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)

This picture illustrate the process of generating electricity through Geothermal power plant. There are fives stages from pumping cold water, to producing electricity for everyday use.

The first step is that a container of cold water is attached with machine in order to pumped down water at depth of 4.5 km to the injection well, where it goes to Geothermal zone. In this zone the hot rocks are converted the cold water into hot. Once the water temperature changes sufficiently, it then passed to the production well to pump up water all the way to condenser.

At this stage, steam is produced in order to power the turbine. Next, in turbine steam is rotated in circular movements to produce more power to support generator. The generator powered by turbine and produces adequate amount of energy. The final step is that the electricity produced by generator then transferred to the electric grid pole to supply electricity to homes, factories or to different settings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You describe the main sequence from cold water being pumped underground to electricity being generated, and you correctly include the 4.5 km depth, the hot-rock zone, the production well, steam, turbine and generator. However, the opening does not give a clear overview of the process as a whole, and some stages are not described accurately or fully. For example, the rocks do not themselves “convert” the water; they heat it, and the condenser’s role in producing steam is not clearly explained. The claim that the electricity is supplied to homes and factories goes beyond what the diagram shows, which only indicates transmission to the grid. A clearer overview and more precise reporting of the depicted stages would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the process in a generally logical order, moving from the injection well through to electricity transmission. Paragraphing separates the introduction from the process description, and sequence markers such as “The first step,” “Once,” “At this stage,” and “Next” help the reader follow the stages. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and some links between stages are unclear. For instance, “At this stage” does not specify whether it refers to the condenser or the production well, while “Next, in turbine” makes the transition awkward. The final sentence also adds an unsupported destination rather than simply concluding the described process. Use clearer references to each component and connect the stages with more precise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “Geothermal zone,” “condenser,” “turbine,” and “generator,” which makes the subject clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “at depth of 4.5 km” and “temperature changes sufficiently.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “a container of cold water,” “attached with machine,” “hot rocks are converted the cold water,” and “electric grid pole” do not describe the diagram naturally. “Rotated in circular movements” is also an imprecise way to explain turbine operation. Choose standard process terms and use verbs such as “heat,” “pump,” “drive,” and “transmit” accurately to improve precision and fluency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including a time clause in “Once the water temperature changes sufficiently, it then passed…” and a sequence of linked process stages. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction occur in several places. For example, “This picture illustrate” needs subject–verb agreement, “in order to pumped” requires an infinitive form, and “it then passed” needs a passive verb form such as “is then passed.” The sentence beginning “The first step is that…” is also difficult to control grammatically. Work on accurate passive constructions, which are especially useful for process descriptions, and check agreement and articles in each sentence.

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