Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-08

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 given pictorial diagram illustrates information about generation of electricity in a hydroelectric power station.

Firstly, high level reservoir created in the river by creation of Dam. There is a narrow space left at a lower surface of dam from where water flow is open during day while in the night, flow is closed. The water falls in great speed from dam in order to produce electricity in daytime.

In next step, in the power station, there are huge turbines which are connected to generators and helps to generate them. Power line work as a connection between generators and the national grids who supply electricity to households, factories. Turbines work differently depend on condition of day. During day, they help water to flow towards low reservoir while in night water pump into high reservoir.

To summarize, electricity generation through hydrostatic power generation consist of multiple steps and water movements depends on time of day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power generation process, identifying the reservoir, dam, turbines, and power lines. However, the description is somewhat superficial and lacks precision. For instance, the explanation of the water flow mechanism is slightly inaccurate and confusing, particularly the claim that the flow is 'open during day' and 'closed' at night, which misinterprets the cycle of pumping water back to the high reservoir. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the cyclical nature of the process. Overall, it addresses the task but lacks the depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. There is some attempt at logical progression using transition words like 'Firstly', 'In next step', and 'To summarize'. However, the cohesion is often mechanical and sometimes awkward, such as the phrase 'In next step' which lacks an article. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the relationship between the turbines and the water flow is described in a way that makes the sequence of events difficult to follow. Paragraphing is present but could be more balanced.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'high level reservoir created in the river by creation of Dam' and 'hydrostatic power generation' (which should be 'hydroelectric'). The student relies on basic terminology and struggles with collocations, such as 'water falls in great speed' instead of 'at great speed'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary limits the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'by creation of Dam'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'Turbines work differently depend on condition'), and awkward sentence construction. While the meaning is usually understandable, the frequency of these errors is noticeable. To improve, the student should focus on basic sentence construction, particularly the correct use of articles and prepositions, before attempting more complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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