Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-29
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 the five steps to produce the electricity with the help of geothermal power plant.
overall, The process consists of five main stages, Beginning with the cold water deep down around 4.5 km in the ground area through the injection wall.The cold water turned into the hot rocks become hot water with the rocks.The next step the hot water pumped up with the help of production well
reach in condenser container after the water change hot water to steam.
Moreover, The steam rotating circular in turbine.The final stage of the steam move into generator and start to produce electricity. Electricity ready for the power plant sustainable and renewable energy generation process.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the main stages, including water being sent underground, heated by hot rocks, brought back to the surface, and used to generate electricity. The reference to a depth of about 4.5 km is also accurate. However, the account is brief and some process details are unclear or inaccurate: the water is heated as it passes through the geothermal zone, rather than becoming hot “with the rocks,” and the condenser produces steam before it powers the turbine. The final relationship is also misstated: the turbine drives the generator, rather than steam moving into the generator. The response is 37 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail provided. A fuller, more precise account of each stage would address the task more completely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response follows the broad sequence of the process, and signposts such as “overall,” “The next step,” and “The final stage” help the reader recognise progression. However, the overview and details are not clearly separated into paragraphs, and several transitions join ideas awkwardly. For example, “The next step the hot water pumped up…” lacks a clear grammatical link, while “Moreover” introduces another stage without showing how it relates to the previous one. The final sentence about sustainable energy feels detached from the process description. Use a clear overview followed by a step-by-step paragraph, and connect each stage with accurate sequencing language to make the progression easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant process vocabulary, including “injection well,” “production well,” “condenser,” “turbine,” and “generator,” which helps identify the equipment. There is also an attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “final stage” and “sustainable and renewable energy.” However, several word choices or combinations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “injection wall,” “cold water deep down,” “rotating circular,” and “electricity ready for the power plant.” These choices sometimes make the process difficult to picture. Aim for precise collocations such as “water is pumped down the injection well,” “the turbine rotates,” and “electricity is generated.” More accurate vocabulary, rather than adding decorative terms, would improve clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response communicates the general sequence, but grammatical control is uneven and errors sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. Sentence fragments and missing verbs occur in “The next step the hot water pumped up…” and “The final stage of the steam move into generator.” Capitalisation is inconsistent after sentence openings, as in “overall, The process,” and punctuation is missing between some clauses, such as after “injection wall.” There is an attempt to use longer structures, but these are often incomplete or incorrectly joined. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, for example, “The hot water is pumped up through the production well and enters the condenser.” Check articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries during revision.
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