Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-28

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 given diagram shows the process of how geothermal energy is used to generate electricity. It goes through from 5 different steps and processes to produce the electric power.

In the first step, cold water is pumped down 4.5 kilometers to the injection well. From the injection well starts the 2nd step, the water is passed by a geothermal zone that contains hot rocks which increases the temperature of water and then this water is reached to a production well, where starts the 3rd step.

By the production well, the hot water is pumped up on the ground to a condensor. In the 4th step, the steam from the condensor goes into a turbine, which is connected to a generator .The turbine is powered by the steam and the powered turbine is used to generate the electricity from the generator which is the last step of this process. From the generator, the electricity is produced throughout the places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main stages, including water being pumped down, heated by hot rocks, returned to the surface, and used to produce electricity. The 4.5-kilometre depth is also reported accurately. However, the overview is limited: the opening says there are five steps but does not clearly summarise the overall transformation from cold water to electricity. Some details are unclear or inaccurate. The water is heated as it passes through the geothermal zone, but the response says it “is passed by” the zone; also, the condenser is described as receiving hot water, whereas the diagram shows steam being released there. Clarify the sequence and include the turbine’s role in driving the generator to make the key features more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response follows the process in a generally logical order, and sequencing phrases such as “In the first step,” “In the 4th step,” and “From the generator” help the reader track the stages. This gives the account a coherent overall arrangement. However, the paragraphing is limited to one block, and some links between stages are awkward or unclear—for example, “From the injection well starts the 2nd step” and “where starts the 3rd step.” The repeated step labels also make the progression feel somewhat mechanical, while the final sentence does not clearly connect to the diagram’s transmission pylon. Use clearer paragraphing and more natural transitions, and make references between stages explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “geothermal zone,” “production well,” “turbine,” and “generator,” which allows the main equipment to be identified. Some wording is also varied, such as “pumped down” and “pumped up.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural: “passed by a geothermal zone” does not clearly express that water flows through it, and “the electricity is produced throughout the places” is not an accurate description of the diagram. “Condensor” is also misspelled; the correct form is “condenser.” Aim for precise process collocations such as “flows through,” “is converted into steam,” and “is transmitted,” while checking technical spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “a turbine, which is connected to a generator” and a clause explaining that hot rocks raise the water’s temperature. The sequence remains understandable overall. However, some sentence structures are faulty or incomplete, notably “From the injection well starts the 2nd step” and “where starts the 3rd step.” There are also errors in articles, prepositions, and sentence boundaries, as in “pumped up on the ground” and “generator .The turbine.” The final sentence, “the electricity is produced throughout the places,” is grammatically formed but unclear in meaning. Use straightforward subject–verb structures, check punctuation between sentences, and revise clauses so each stage has a clear subject and action.

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