Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-24
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 presents the process of geothermal energy is used to produce the electricity.
overall, the process consists of five stages, beginning with cold and at the end it goes to the electricity productivity. the system uses heat from underground rock into turbine and produces electricity.
at the initally, the cold water had pumed with 4.5 kilometer at the point underground the injection well and it passes to geothermal zone where hot water heat as it flows through underground pipes.after being heated the water pumed back to the surface of production well.
in the next stage hot water condenser the considerably and its turns into the steam and the steam had connected with the turbine it play the electricity meanwhile it transmitted to the generator it join the middle index finally at the end
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the process as geothermal electricity production and include several key stages: cold water is sent underground, heated by hot rocks, brought back up, and converted to steam. You also mention the 4.5-kilometre depth, which is an important detail. However, the overview is unclear, and the final stages are not accurately explained: the turbine is driven by steam, and it drives the generator, which produces electricity. The phrase “it play the electricity” does not report these relationships clearly, and the ending is incomplete. The response also contains 134 words, below the required 150, so the process is only partially covered. Add a clear overview and describe every stage, especially the turbine-generator sequence.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some organisation: an opening, an overview, and paragraphs describing the underground and surface stages. Sequencing phrases such as “at the initally” and “in the next stage” show an attempt to guide the reader through the process. However, progression becomes difficult to follow, particularly in the final paragraph, which ends with “finally at the end” without completing the explanation. Several ideas are joined together with little punctuation, as in “where hot water heat as it flows through underground pipes.after being heated”. This makes the sequence and relationships unclear. Use one sentence for each main stage, separate them with accurate punctuation, and finish with a complete account of how the generator produces electricity.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well”, “production well”, “geothermal zone”, “condenser”, “steam” and “turbine”. These terms show an appropriate attempt to describe the diagram. However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate and sometimes make the meaning difficult to understand: “electricity productivity”, “hot water heat”, “it play the electricity” and “middle index”. Spelling errors such as “pumed” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise, natural collocations, for example, say that water is “pumped down”, “heated by hot rocks”, and “converted into steam”; then explain that steam “drives the turbine” and the generator “produces electricity”. This would make the vocabulary more accurate and flexible.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sequence with “where” and a time clause beginning “after being heated”. However, control is limited, and errors frequently affect clarity. For example, “the process of geothermal energy is used” has an incorrect sentence structure, while “the cold water had pumed” uses an unsuitable tense and an incomplete verb form. In “after being heated the water pumed back”, the main verb is also missing its correct form. Articles and agreement are inconsistent, as in “hot water condenser the considerably”. Punctuation is often absent or misplaced, causing run-on sentences. Build accurate simple sentences first, then combine them with clear clauses such as “After the water is heated, it is pumped to the surface.”
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