Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22
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)
In the given topic, we are going to discuss about the hydroelectric power station and how electricity is generated from it. Rivers are the fundamental reservoirs of any nation and they contribute a significant part in the economy. Here, we will elaborate all the parameters of how a power station works. We will start from the top right corner, where there is a river sliding towards a dam. High-level reservoirs of water are held by the dam. In addition to this there is specific intake that remain closed at night and opens in a broad daylight. Furthermore, as we decline towards a reversible turbines in a day, a tremendous amount of electricity is produced. These reversible turbines operates a generator in a day. Moreover, the generator works on a principle of physics to generate electricity ,which is than delivered to the power lines and eventually to the national grid. However, in contrast to high-level reservoirs, low-level water reservoirs pass through the turbines at night and inclines towards a dam during pumping . That's how the whole mechanism of power station operates
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a basic overview of the process but fails to meet the requirements of an Academic Task 1 report. The tone is overly conversational and subjective, using phrases like 'we are going to discuss' and 'Rivers are the fundamental reservoirs of any nation,' which are irrelevant to the task. While the student identifies the main components (dam, turbines, generator), the description of the process is somewhat confusing and lacks a clear, objective summary of the mechanical cycle. The distinction between the day and night cycles is mentioned, but the explanation is imprecise and lacks the analytical focus required for a high-scoring report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders the logical flow of information. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'In addition to this,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Moreover,' they are often used mechanically or to connect ideas that are not clearly structured. The progression of the process is difficult to follow because the text lacks a clear introduction, body, and conclusion structure. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall organization feels more like a narrative commentary than a structured report on a technical diagram.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and technical register expected in an academic report. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'sliding towards a dam' (rivers do not slide) and 'inclines towards a dam' (which is factually and linguistically inaccurate in this context). The student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'reservoirs,' 'turbines,' and 'generator,' but the overall control is limited, and the phrasing often sounds unnatural or imprecise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('these reversible turbines operates') and incorrect prepositional usage ('in a broad daylight'). There are also punctuation and spelling errors, such as 'than' used instead of 'then' and missing commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, these errors occur frequently enough to occasionally distract the reader and indicate a lack of control over more complex grammatical forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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