Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19
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 chart illustrates the formation of electricity in a hydroelectric power station.
Overall, the water travel from High-level reservoir to Low-level reservoir in morning, while the same water flow back to the same level in night.
In morning, the water enters in high-level reservoir from the river, it passes through a dam and flow in downwards direction from an intake of the dam; which opens only in morning, to generate an energy. The water is collected in the low-level reservoir and an generator is placed in power station between both the reservoir, which collects the electricity and transfer it to the power lines and national grid for the utilisation.
Continuing of the process, the whole process works in reverse in night. the water flow back from low-level reservoir to high-level reservoir during a pumping process. The reversible turbines are placed, which operates generator in morning and pump water into the high-level reservoir.
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 features of the hydroelectric process, including the day and night cycles. However, the description is somewhat inaccurate in its technical details; for instance, the text claims the intake opens 'only in morning' and that water flows back 'in night', which is a simplification that misses the nuance of the diagram. While the main features are identified, the explanation of how the generator functions is slightly confused. To improve, ensure that the description of the mechanical process is more precise and reflects the visual information more accurately. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the cyclical nature of the system.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs detailing the two phases. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Continuing of the process' and 'Overall', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural. The progression of ideas is generally logical, moving from the day cycle to the night cycle. However, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'the same water' and 'both the reservoir', which could be improved for better flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the distinct stages of the process.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'hydroelectric power station', 'reservoir', 'intake', and 'reversible turbines'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'formation of electricity' (instead of 'generation') and 'in morning' (missing the article 'the'). The range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise terminology that would elevate the response. Some phrasing is repetitive, and the control over word forms is inconsistent, which limits the score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. Common issues include missing articles ('in morning', 'in night', 'an generator'), subject-verb agreement errors ('water travel', 'water flow'), and awkward phrasing ('between both the reservoir'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To reach a higher band, focus on consistent article usage, correct verb tense consistency, and ensuring that plural/singular nouns are correctly matched with their respective determiners.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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