Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-30

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 illustrates the different stages in generating electricity from a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, it can be seen that the generation of electricity from the power station is a day and night process. The transmission of electricity happens with the help of water from the river.

Firstly, a high-level reservoir is built where water from the river flows in. A dam is constructed in the high-level reservoir which opens during different times of the day. Also, there's presence of a power station where reversible turbines occurs during day and night.

During the day, the dam opens and water flows into the power station to generate electricity. The water in the power station operates the generator which transmits energy through the power line down to the national grid. The remaining water moves to the low-level reservoir.

At night, an inverse process occurs. Here, water is pumped back from the low-level reservoir to the high-level reservoir. In contrast to day time, the dam closes at night.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, including the day and night cycles. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, the mention of 'reversible turbines' is a good observation, but the explanation of how the water moves between reservoirs could be more precise. The overview is present but could be more integrated into the summary of the process. While all parts of the task are addressed, the level of detail regarding the mechanical components (like the generator and the specific flow of water) is slightly limited, preventing it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs that follow the chronological stages of the process. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'During the day', and 'At night' helps guide the reader through the sequence. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. For example, the second paragraph introduces the 'day and night process' but the subsequent paragraphs could be better linked to this initial statement. Overall, the information is presented in a clear, coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'reservoir', 'transmission', 'national grid', and 'reversible turbines' used correctly. However, there is some repetition and a lack of more sophisticated collocations. Phrases like 'there's presence of' are slightly unnatural and could be replaced with more precise academic phrasing. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or precision required for a higher band score. Improving the variety of verbs and nouns related to mechanical processes would enhance this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'reversible turbines occurs' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'In contrast to day time' (missing article). While these errors do not impede communication, they are noticeable. The use of passive voice, which is appropriate for describing a process, is present but could be used more consistently to improve the academic tone. The punctuation is generally correct, and the sentence structure is clear enough to ensure that the reader understands the process described.

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