Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-27
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 illustrates the process of how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.
To begin with, the amount of water comes from the river, water then stores into a high-level reservoir. During the day intake, the dam open to move water into the forward direction. After that, water approch to reversible turbines in the power station to generate electricity. Subsequently, rotatory turbines provide power to operate generator.
Furthermore, power goes to the national grid via power lines, and water containes into a low-level reservoir. During the night intake, the reversal process pump water from the lowe-level reservoir to the high-level reserviour, and finally reached to the river.
Overall, this neat process work in two intakes: day and night. During the day time, water comes from river then keep a forward path to the reversible turbines, which operate the generator and goes electricity to the naional grid. However, this process has been reversed during night shift, and flow of water from the low to high level reservoir.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 power station process, including the day and night cycles. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you identify the key stages, the explanation of the mechanism is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'water containes into a low-level reservoir'. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the components (e.g., the dam, turbines, and generator) is explained with more technical precision. You have successfully identified the two-way nature of the process, which is a key feature of the diagram, but the overall summary could be more analytical regarding the flow of energy and water.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use basic cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'Overall' to signal the structure. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as 'this neat process work'. The transition between the day and night cycles is clear, but the internal cohesion could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns and references clearly point back to the previously mentioned stages of the process.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'reservoir', 'reversible turbines', and 'national grid'. However, there are several spelling errors ('approch', 'rotatory', 'naional', 'lowe-level') and awkward word choices ('water containes into', 'goes electricity'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not fully impede communication. To improve, focus on the correct spelling of technical terms and ensure that verbs are used accurately in the context of mechanical processes (e.g., 'flows into' rather than 'contains into').
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('the dam open', 'process work', 'water containes') and tense consistency. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'goes electricity to the naional grid'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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