Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-02

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 7.0)

The diagram given below illustrates that how electricity is being generated in a hydroelectric power station during the day and night.

Overall, the process consists of two main stages. During the day, water flows from a high-level reservoir to generate electricity, while at night, the water is pumped back to the upper reservoir so that the cycle can be repeated.

During the daytime, river water is stored behind a dam in the high-level reservoir. The intake gate is opened, allowing water to flow downhill through a pipe towards the power station, As the water passes through the reversible turbines, they drive the generator to produce electricity. The electricity then transmitted through power lines to the national grid. After that the water is collected in the low-level reservoir.

At night, the process operated in opposite direction. The intake gate is closed, and the reversible turbines works as a pump instead of generating electricity. Using electricity, they pump water from lo-level reservoir back to the high-level reservoir through the same pipe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the hydroelectric power station process. You have clearly distinguished between the daytime generation phase and the nighttime pumping phase, which is essential for this task. The overview is concise and accurately captures the cyclical nature of the system. All key components, such as the high-level reservoir, intake gate, reversible turbines, and low-level reservoir, are mentioned. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail on the transition between stages or elaborate slightly more on the mechanical function of the reversible turbines to ensure the description is fully comprehensive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific stage of the process. The progression from the introduction to the daytime process and finally the nighttime process is easy to follow. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'During the daytime', and 'At night' to guide the reader. However, the use of linking words is somewhat basic. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly, such as 'consequently', 'subsequently', or 'in contrast', rather than relying on simple time markers.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including terms like 'hydroelectric power station', 'reversible turbines', and 'national grid'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'the process operated in opposite direction' (should be 'operates in the opposite direction') and 'lo-level' (spelling error). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the more sophisticated, precise terminology that would elevate the response to a higher band. Focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling throughout your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips. For example, 'illustrates that how electricity is being generated' is redundant; it should be 'illustrates how electricity is generated'. Additionally, 'The electricity then transmitted' is missing an auxiliary verb ('is transmitted'), and 'turbines works' shows a subject-verb agreement error. These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the response from reaching the higher bands where error-free sentences are the norm.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.