Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-24

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 a display of how a hydroelctric power plant produces electricity.

Overall, water from a river is used to produce electricity at the hydroelectric power station. The water flows in the opposite direction at night as it flows in the day. The turbine is the main component of the power station responsible for directing the flow of water and operating the generator to produce electricity.

Water from a river is stored at high level reservoir built using a dam. The stored water flows through the intakes of the dam which opens in day and closes at night . In the daytime where the turbine is rotated , which operates the generator that generates electricity. The electricity which is generated is transmitted through power lines to the national grid .

After rotating the turbine at night time the power flows to the low level reserviour . This process repeats and water flows again towards powerstation to produce electricity

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, such as the dam, reservoir, turbine, and generator. However, the description of the cycle is slightly inaccurate; the text suggests water flows in the opposite direction at night, whereas the diagram illustrates a continuous cycle involving a high-level and low-level reservoir. The explanation of the day/night cycle is somewhat confusing and lacks the precision required for a Band 7. While the main features are identified, the relationship between the components could be more clearly explained to demonstrate a full understanding of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between the daytime and nighttime phases is abrupt, and the use of 'the' and 'which' is sometimes awkward. The logical flow is generally clear, but the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the transition between ideas feel a bit disjointed. Improving the variety of transition signals would enhance the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using technical terms like 'hydroelectric', 'turbine', 'generator', and 'national grid'. However, there are some spelling errors, such as 'hydroelctric' and 'reserviour', which detract from the professional tone. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic verbs like 'flows', 'stored', and 'produces'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise descriptive language, such as 'facilitates', 'converts', or 'harnesses', to better describe the mechanical processes involved in the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, 'In the daytime where the turbine is rotated , which operates the generator' is a fragmented and grammatically incorrect sentence. There are also issues with article usage and punctuation, such as unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your score.

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

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