Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-15

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 diagram shows the production of electricity using dam water and the whole system known as hydroelectric power station.

Overall, the dam is divided into two parts high-level reservoir and low-level reservoir with a reversible turbine in addition to there is a generator to produce electricity.

Initially water flows from river into the high-level reservoir of dam. Whereas dam is used to store a considerable amount of water which will flow downwards when the dam gates are open at the day time. Moreover water then hit to the blades of turbine which in turn starts rotating and generator produces electricity which is supplied to national grid through power lines.

At night the water through low-level reservoir pushed back to high-level reservoir using reversible turbines to reuse it again at day time. This is the whole procedure to generate electricity from hydroelectric power station and supplied to the national grid using power lines which further supply it community.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, including the two reservoirs, the turbine, and the generator. However, the description is somewhat simplistic. While the key stages are identified, the explanation of the 'day' and 'night' cycle is a bit repetitive and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated into the structure. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the components is described with more technical precision, focusing on the flow of energy and the cyclical nature of the system rather than just listing the steps.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. There is a clear introduction, a body paragraph for the daytime process, and a final paragraph for the nighttime cycle. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. Phrases like 'Initially', 'Whereas', and 'Moreover' are used, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between the description of the components and the actual process could be improved to create a more cohesive narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the process clearly. Words like 'reservoir', 'reversible turbine', and 'national grid' are used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'water then hit to the blades' and 'supply it community'. To improve, the student should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of verbs to describe the movement of water and energy, moving beyond basic verbs like 'hit' or 'pushed'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('at the day time', 'to high-level reservoir') and awkward preposition usage ('hit to the blades'). Additionally, there are some issues with sentence construction, such as 'in addition to there is a generator'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing. A greater focus on subject-verb agreement and article usage is recommended.

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

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