Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-09

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 diagram illustrate the information about the generation of electricity through hydroelectric power station.

As we can see from the diagram, water from the river is stored in high-level reservoir through dam and intake of water is decided, during day it is open and when the night falls it is close. There is a power station at some distance from the dam and flow of water over there happens only in day after receiving the water through the pipe it is help to generate the electricity from the generator and the electricity passes through the power lines to national grid for transporting electricity to respective places.

Furthermore, water from the low- level reservoir at power station went back to the dam through the water pipe and it happens during night to maintain the flow of water during pumping.

All in all, generating electricity requires long process and proper precautions to prevent any danger with the proper system to maintain flow without any trouble.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station, including the reservoir, dam, power station, and the cycle of water movement. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole. The final paragraph introduces subjective commentary ('proper precautions to prevent any danger') which is not present in the diagram and is therefore irrelevant to the task. To improve, focus on describing the mechanical process more precisely and ensure the overview highlights the cyclical nature of the system rather than adding external opinions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the logical flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'flow of water over there happens only in day'. Cohesive devices are used, but they are somewhat mechanical (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'All in all'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the connection between the low-level reservoir and the pumping process could be more explicitly linked to the first paragraph to show the complete cycle.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. Terms like 'intake of water is decided' and 'it is help to generate' are imprecise and grammatically awkward. There is a reliance on basic vocabulary, and some word choices are unnatural in an academic context. To achieve a higher score, you should use more specific technical terminology related to hydroelectric power, such as 'turbine', 'penstock', or 'reversibility', and focus on more accurate collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('diagram illustrate') and incorrect verb tenses or forms ('it is help to generate', 'it is close'). Sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and awkward phrasing that occasionally makes the meaning difficult to follow. Focusing on basic sentence construction and ensuring subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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