Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-18

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 figure illustrates how electricity is gotten through the help of geothermal energy. The visual shows the process from the first to the final step where the end result is visible.

This process happens in five stages: first, the cold water, then the injection well, which is followed by the production well and subsequently the condenser. The turbine and generator stage is the last stage before the final output comes into production.

When the cold water is poured into the injection well, it must be pumped to about 4.5km deep of the hot rocks - also known as the geothermal zone. This is then passed to the production well after it converts to hot water. The hot water is then passed back up by 4.5km to the condenser. This is the fourth stage in the five-stage production.

From the condenser, the hot water turns to steam so it can go through the next and final stage. The final stage is divided into two: the turbine and the genrator. From the condenser, the steam is then moved to the steam-powered turbine. The genrator, which also works with the turbine and is the producer of electricity, then receives from the turbine and generates the electricity. Thus, the final step is concluded and electricity is provided from cold water.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from cold-water injection through heating, steam production and electricity generation, and you include the key depth of 4.5 km. The explanation that water passes through hot rocks before returning to the surface is relevant and broadly accurate. However, the overview is vague: “the process from the first to the final step” does not clearly summarise the transformation from cold water to electricity. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate. The diagram shows water being pumped down and hot water pumped up, rather than water being “poured” or simply “passed”; it does not state that the water “converts” at a particular point. Clarify the stages and distinguish the condenser, turbine and generator more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: it moves from the underground wells to the condenser and then to the turbine and generator. Paragraphing also separates the stages reasonably well, and sequencing phrases such as “first,” “subsequently” and “From the condenser” help the reader follow the process. This meets the lower-band expectation of an overall logical arrangement, with some stronger progression. However, cohesion is occasionally mechanical or unclear. “This is then passed” has an uncertain reference, while “the next and final stage” conflicts with the later division of the final stage into two components. The opening and closing sentences repeat the idea of a beginning and an end without adding useful process information. Use clearer references and a more concise overview.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “geothermal zone,” “condenser,” “steam-powered turbine” and “generates electricity.” This gives you an adequate range for describing the diagram, and the main meaning remains understandable. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for a formal process description: electricity is “generated,” not “gotten”; water is “pumped” rather than “poured”; and “passed” is repeated where more exact verbs such as “flows” or “rises” would help. “The end result is visible” and “production comes into production” are vague or repetitive. There are also spelling errors in “genrator.” Aim for precise process verbs and standard technical phrasing, while checking spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a time clause in “When the cold water is poured…” and a relative clause in “The generator, which also works with the turbine…”. Most sentences communicate the intended sequence, and errors do not generally prevent understanding. Some grammatical choices are nevertheless awkward or unclear. In “it must be pumped to about 4.5km deep of the hot rocks,” the construction after “deep” is faulty; write that it is pumped down to a depth of 4.5 km. “The generator … then receives from the turbine” is missing an object, and “the final step is concluded” is an unnatural construction. The long opening sentence of the second paragraph also makes the stage sequence difficult to parse. Use complete, direct clauses and check sentence structure and punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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