Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The below picture illustrates the cyclic process of how the electricity is being produced in a Hydroelectric power station.

Overall, river stores water in High level reservoir and the water flows through small pipe and fall on the generator available on power station to generate electricity in day. However, during night the water from low-level reservoir pump into high-level reservoir to reuse the same water again.

Water intake flows from high river banks to the reversible turbines to generate power which then further distributed to different towns and localities through power lines or nation grid wires. During the day time the used water gets store on low-level reservoir. Followed by night, the water again pump back into upper river reservoir through processes such as fall in reversible turbines and pumping back to small pipes open under dam gates and push back to the river. Therefore, the same cyclic process is following day and night to produce electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response provides a clear overview of the hydroelectric process, identifying the main features such as the high and low-level reservoirs and the reversible turbines. However, the description of the process is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in technical terminology. For instance, the explanation of the water movement between reservoirs is slightly confusing, and the distinction between the day and night cycles could be more concisely integrated. While the main features are covered, the response would benefit from a more structured approach to the mechanical stages of the process to ensure all parts are fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. The use of cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Therefore', and 'Followed by' helps to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences in the final paragraph is occasionally disjointed. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression could be smoother to better reflect the cyclic nature of the system described in the diagram.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'cyclic process', 'reversible turbines', and 'hydroelectric power station' used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'small pipe' instead of 'penstock' or 'conduit', and 'nation grid wires' instead of 'national grid'. The repetition of basic verbs like 'flows', 'generate', and 'pump' limits the range. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to engineering and energy production.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the electricity', 'the water') and verb tense consistency ('the water again pump back' should be 'is pumped back'). Subject-verb agreement issues are also present, such as 'the used water gets store' instead of 'is stored'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on passive voice construction, which is essential for process descriptions, would improve both accuracy and style.

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

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