Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-17

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 about the process of how geothermal energy is used and converted into electricity in a geothermal power plant in few steps.

Overall, the process consist 5 steps and shows that how water converted into geothermal energy. Moreover big turbine plays main role to transfer of heat energy into electricity

The first step started with the contained cold water in a chamber which was pumped deep down into the earth about 4.5 km through the injection well, after that hot rocks in the earth that is called geothermal zone, heat up the water and pumped out into condenser chamber by the production well.

In fourth step hot water transferred into steam form by the help of condenser. In the next step steam energy used to rotate the big turbine to give powered to generator. Through huge turbine, generator produced electricity which was provided to tall electrical tower or electrical plants

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages and give a clear overall account of the process, including the 4.5 km injection well, heating in the geothermal zone, the production well, steam, and the turbine-generator sequence. These details are relevant and broadly match the diagram. However, the overview is not fully precise: “water converted into geothermal energy” misstates the process, since geothermal heat warms the water and the resulting steam drives the turbine. The final reference to electricity being supplied to “electrical plants” is also not shown; the diagram indicates transmission lines and a pylon. Some stages are described more clearly than others, particularly the conversion of hot water to steam. State the overall transformation accurately and report only features visible in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological description of the stages. The sequence from pumping cold water underground to generating electricity is generally easy to follow, and phrases such as “after that” and “In the next step” help signal progression. However, the overview is unclear and does not provide a reliable summary of the process, while the final paragraph’s links between steam, turbine, generator, and electricity are awkward. “In fourth step” also assumes a numbered sequence without clearly connecting it to the earlier stages. Use clearer stage transitions and organise the body into a smooth sequence, with each sentence showing how one stage leads to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “geothermal zone,” “condenser,” and “generator,” which helps identify the main components. There are also attempts at more descriptive wording, such as “pumped deep down” and “rotate the big turbine.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural, including “contained cold water in a chamber,” “transfer of heat energy into electricity,” and “give powered to generator.” “Electrical tower or electrical plants” is not an accurate description of the diagram’s output connection. Aim for precise process collocations and avoid adding alternatives when the diagram gives a specific feature. For example, describe water as being pumped through a well and steam as driving the turbine.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a sequence joined by “after that” and a sentence explaining how the geothermal zone heats the water. The main stages remain understandable, but grammatical errors occur across the response and sometimes make relationships unclear. Examples include “the process consist 5 steps,” “shows that how water converted,” and “the process started with the contained cold water,” which involve agreement, clause structure, and verb-form problems. In “hot water transferred into steam form,” the passive verb is incomplete, and “generator produced electricity which was provided” has an unclear relative reference. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions, such as “is pumped,” “is heated,” and “is converted,” and check articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries.

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