Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-28

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 6.5)

The diagram shows how a hydroelectric power station generates electricity using water from the river.

At first water flows from the river to the high level reservoir. The reservoir is barred with a dam. In the day time the reservoir stays open and closed at night.

While the reservoir is opened in the day time water flows down to the power station more specifically to the generator to generate the electricity.

The generator uses the necessary water to generate electricity and the remaining water then get reserved in to the low-level reservoir. The generated electricity then get passed to the power lines and from there distributed through the National grid.

At the night time, water flows back from low-level to the generator and then it gets back to the high-level reservoir due to pumping, and get stored there for the next day reparation.

The diagram shows the complete workflow of the hydroelectric power station and the electric supply.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station process. You have identified the key components, such as the reservoirs, dam, generator, and the cycle of water flow. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole. While you mention the 'complete workflow' in the conclusion, a more effective summary would highlight the cyclical nature of the process in the introduction. The explanation of the day/night cycle is accurate, but the report could be improved by using more precise terminology to describe the mechanical stages of energy conversion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, separating the daytime generation process from the nighttime pumping process. This structure helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'At first', 'While', 'The generated electricity then'). The transition between the two main paragraphs could be smoother to better emphasize the contrast between the two phases of the cycle. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by varying the sentence starters and using more sophisticated linking phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, such as 'reservoir', 'generator', 'distributed', and 'national grid'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'barred with a dam' is not the standard way to describe this feature; 'retained by a dam' or 'dammed' would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'get reserved' and 'get passed' are informal and repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise technical verbs and avoiding the overuse of 'get' as a passive voice auxiliary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with article usage ('At the night time') and passive voice construction ('water then get reserved'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'for the next day reparation', where 'preparation' or 'use' would be more accurate. The punctuation is generally functional, but there is a lack of variety in complex structures. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining passive voice usage will help improve your accuracy.

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