Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-30

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 illustates the process of generating electicity by using geothermal energy.

Overall, it can be considered that it contains five steps which starts from pumping clod water in geothermal zone and using steam from the hot water after at it go through the generator turbine stage to generate elctricity.

At initial stage, clod water is pumped down to 4.5 killometers and transfered to the second stage in which is go through the geothermal zone that is know as the injection well.

In the third step, which is called the production well stage, it pumped up the hot water into condenser where the steam of hot water is transferd to the final stage, where it steam powered by turbine to produce electricity which is finally ready to provide electicity for everyone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a process for generating electricity from geothermal energy and give a broad sequence from pumping water underground to producing electricity. However, the overview is unclear and does not accurately summarise the key transformation: cold water is heated as it passes through hot rocks, then returns to the surface as hot water before steam drives the turbine and generator. The injection well is also misidentified as the geothermal zone; these are separate parts of the process. The final stages are compressed and partly confused, and the claim that electricity is “ready to provide electricity for everyone” is not shown in the diagram. The response is also below the required 150 words. Develop each stage more fully and report only features supported by the visual.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order, moving from an introduction and overview to the stages of the process. Phrases such as “At initial stage” and “In the third step” help signal sequence, so the reader can follow the general direction. However, the stages are not consistently separated or clearly explained: the second paragraph combines the depth, water movement and geothermal zone, while the final paragraph runs several later steps together. Some references are difficult to follow, particularly “it” and “where,” because it is unclear whether they refer to the water, condenser or steam. Use separate sentences or paragraphs for the underground heating, return to the surface, and electricity generation, with clear nouns instead of ambiguous pronouns.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “geothermal energy,” “injection well,” “production well,” “condenser” and “turbine.” This gives the response a basic range suited to the diagram. However, spelling errors are frequent, including “illustates,” “electicity,” “clod” and “killometers,” and several word choices or combinations are inaccurate. For example, “transfered to the second stage” does not clearly describe water flowing through the hot-rock zone, and “the steam of hot water” is an awkward way to describe steam produced from heated water. “Final stage” is also imprecise because the turbine and generator are distinct stages. Improve accuracy by using standard process verbs such as “flows,” “is heated,” “rises” and “drives.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is an attempt to use both sequencing clauses and passive forms, as in “cold water is pumped down” and “which is called the production well stage.” However, the range is limited, and attempts at longer sentences are often faulty. In the overview, “it contains five steps which starts” has an unclear subject and incorrect agreement; “after at it go through” is not a workable clause. The sentence beginning “At initial stage” also contains the faulty construction “in which is go through.” In the final sentence, “it pumped up” lacks an auxiliary, and the clause about steam and the turbine is incomplete. Practise building shorter, complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, then combine them accurately using “before,” “after” and “which.”

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