Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-09
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The diagram illustrates the electricity genreation process in a hydroelectric power station.
Overall, water is used as a source to produce electricity. It passed through several diverse steps and at the end power lines supplying electricity to national grid and the process is complete.
To begin with, river is used as a widely source to the yield of electricity. It passed through a dam at high level reservoir afterwards, the flow of water to generate electricity (day). Power station contains generator that generate the current into power lines and then into national grid to the supply of electricity.
On the other hand, reversible turbines in day (Operate generator) and in the night (pump water into high-level reservoir). Although, flow of water during pumping at night.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the topic and mention the main components, including the reservoir, dam, turbines, generator and national grid. However, the account only partially covers the process: the daytime route from the high-level reservoir through the turbines to the low-level reservoir is not clearly explained, and the night-time return of water is left unfinished in “Although, flow of water during pumping at night.” The overview is also vague and does not clearly summarise the system’s two-way operation. Some details are inaccurate or unclear, such as saying the river passes “through a dam” and describing it as the source of electricity rather than the water source. The response is 25 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail available. Explain both operating cycles in full and give a precise overview.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has an identifiable opening, overview and process description, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “On the other hand” attempt to guide the reader. However, the progression is difficult to follow because stages are compressed or left incomplete. For example, “afterwards, the flow of water to generate electricity (day)” does not form a complete link between the reservoir and the power station, while the final sentence fragment does not finish the night-time cycle. The contrast marker “On the other hand” also introduces information without clearly connecting it to the preceding account. Use separate, logically ordered sentences for the daytime and night-time routes, and connect each stage explicitly.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “generator” and “national grid,” which helps identify the equipment. However, the range is limited and several word choices or combinations are inaccurate, making parts of the process unclear. “Widely source” and “the yield of electricity” do not express the intended meaning naturally, while “power lines supplying electricity to national grid” is awkwardly phrased. There is also a spelling error in “genreation.” Aim for precise verbs and collocations suited to describing a process, such as water being stored, released, channelled and pumped. Reusing accurate technical terms is preferable to forcing less suitable expressions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts both simple and more extended sentence forms, but control is inconsistent, and several sentences are incomplete or contain frequent errors. For example, “It passed through a dam at high level reservoir afterwards, the flow of water…” joins ideas without a complete grammatical structure. “Power station contains generator that generate” has missing articles and subject–verb agreement problems, and “Although, flow of water during pumping at night” is a fragment. Tense and reference are also unclear in “It passed,” where the process is described as a general cycle. Practise complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, accurate articles and agreement, and use present simple consistently for process descriptions.
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