Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-25

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 5.0)

The data displays how electricity is generated inside in a hydroelectric power station.

overall, their three main steps while creating the electricity from a hydro-plant. The first is River, and then Dam, after this Generator/power station-

Starting the process, the first step is the River, mostly the River should be located at the higher level, After this the water stored at the Dam for further processing- at high-level reservoir, the water flow at night at slow moving. After, the Dam flow the water to generator to produce electricity and some on the power station/generator pass the electricity to the power line and nation grid-

while for the Reversible turbine, in day time the generator operate itself, and at the night it move itself to the pump, which basically works at high-level reservoir-

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main components of the hydroelectric power station, the description is fragmented and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the process. The overview is underdeveloped, and the explanation of the reversible turbine mechanism is confusing and lacks clarity. To improve, you must ensure you describe the entire process logically and provide a more comprehensive summary of the stages, ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for full development of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The organization of the essay is weak. While there is an attempt to use paragraphing, the transitions between sentences are often abrupt or missing. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'After this' and 'After'. The logical flow is frequently interrupted by unclear phrasing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the sequence of the hydroelectric process. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic terms like 'steps', 'process', and 'generator'. There is little evidence of the specific technical vocabulary required for a process description, such as 'intake', 'penstock', 'turbine', or 'transmission'. Furthermore, there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the generator operate itself' and 'nation grid'. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary and avoid repeating the same basic verbs and nouns throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammatical range is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentence structures. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, including subject-verb agreement ('generator operate'), article usage ('at the night'), and punctuation (the use of hyphens instead of full stops). These errors are noticeable and occasionally impede the clarity of the message. To improve, you should practice constructing more complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions and ensure that you proofread for basic errors in tense and pluralization. The current level of accuracy is insufficient for a higher band.

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

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