Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-31

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 outlines the step-by-step stages of generation of electricity in hydroelectric power.

Overall, the reversible turbines play a crucial role in the production of electricity during the daylight and nighttime.

Initially, the generation of electricity took place in a river, where water is stored in a high-level reservoir behind a dam. During the daytime, the intake is open and water flows down to the power station through channel. As, water passes through reversible turbines and that assist generator to produce electricity which is then transmitted to the national grid via power lines. Afterwards, water entered into low-level-reservoir.

During the night, the intake remains close as electricity demand is low. The reversible turbine acts as pumper. They take water from low-level reservoir and pump it back to i high-level reservoir. Finally, the system is ready for next day utilization.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the hydroelectric process, including the day and night cycles. However, it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the description. While the key features are identified, the lack of length prevents a more detailed analysis of the components or a more sophisticated comparison. The summary is accurate but brief, and some technical details, such as the specific names of the components or the flow of water, could have been expanded to provide a more comprehensive overview of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, an overview, and separate sections for the daytime and nighttime operations. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between sentences relies heavily on simple time markers like 'Initially', 'During the daytime', and 'During the night'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the stages of the process more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'reversible turbines', 'national grid', and 'reservoir' used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'pumper' (should be 'pump') and 'i high-level reservoir' (a typo). The range is somewhat limited, and the student relies on basic verbs like 'take' and 'acts as'. To achieve a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'generation of electricity took place' (tense inconsistency), 'intake remains close' (should be 'closed'), and 'that assist generator' (missing article). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they are frequent enough to indicate a lack of control over complex structures. Improving subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly enhance the accuracy of the writing.

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