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 illustrates the process of generation of electricity in a hydroelectric power station.
Overall there are seven steps involved with production of electricity which commence with collection of water in reservoir and ends with supply of power to national grid.
In the first process the water is collected from river and collects in a high level reservoir on which a dam is built to store huge amount of water. Furthermore , In day time the flow of water is on downward trend in day time to generate electricity . During day the intake of water is opened and closed at night .
Moreover, In day time water runs through reversible turbine and generates electricity through generator and stored in low reservoir.
In night the reversible turbine runs generator and pumps flow of water upwards into high level reservoir in night . Finally the generator in power station generates electricity the it transfered to power lines and then stored in national grid to use further.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat inaccurate and confusing. For instance, the distinction between the day and night cycles is muddled, and the explanation of the reversible turbine's function is unclear. While the overview is present, it lacks the precision required for a higher band. The student identifies the main features but fails to clearly explain the cyclical nature of the hydroelectric process, leading to a somewhat disjointed summary of how the power station operates.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Finally' are used, but they do not always connect the ideas logically. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the movement of water between the high and low reservoirs. The overall progression is present but lacks the smooth, logical transitions expected at higher levels.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate to describe the process but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'collection of water', 'runs through', and 'generates electricity' are used multiple times. There are also some inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'on downward trend', which is not the most natural way to describe the flow of water in this context. The range of vocabulary is limited, and the student struggles to use more precise, technical terminology related to hydroelectric power generation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('in day time', 'in night'), incorrect verb forms ('it transfered'), and awkward phrasing that impacts readability. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band, as they require the reader to re-read certain sections to grasp the intended meaning.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.