Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-28

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 provided diagram illustrates the electricity generation process in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, It is a sustainable electricity generation system which starts with the flowing of water to generate power during the day from river and ends with the water flowing back for pumping at night and this process continues.

At first, high-level reservoir from river flows to the dam. Below the dam, intake of water remains opened during daytime but is closed during night. Furthermore, during the day time, water is flown to generate electricity via a pipe where reversible turbines operate generator in the power station. There after, power lines connected to the generator in the power station, flow electricity to national grid for usage.

Moreover, water is flown from the reversible turbines during the day to the low-level reservoir but flows back to through the turbines at night during water pumping. The intake remains closed at night to the high-level reservoir. This way the water flows continues to power the electricity or national usage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric process, including the distinction between daytime power generation and nighttime pumping. The overview is clear and identifies the cyclical nature of the system. However, the description of the process is slightly repetitive, and some details, such as the specific role of the 'reversible turbines' and the movement of water between reservoirs, could be more precisely explained to fully capture the technical nature of the diagram. While all key stages are mentioned, the explanation of the 'intake' mechanism and the flow direction could be more streamlined to improve clarity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from an overview to the daytime process and then the nighttime cycle. Cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'Furthermore', 'There after', and 'Moreover' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the phrase 'this way the water flows continues', which lacks grammatical cohesion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the process, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using technical terms like 'hydroelectric power station', 'reservoir', 'reversible turbines', and 'national grid'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'water is flown' (should be 'water flows') and 'flow electricity' (should be 'transmit' or 'supply electricity'). While the range is sufficient to describe the process, it lacks the more sophisticated, precise vocabulary that would elevate the response to a higher band, such as using terms like 'facilitate', 'convey', or 'alternating'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and passive voice construction, such as 'water is flown' instead of 'water flows' and 'water flows continues' instead of 'water flow continues'. Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage issues throughout the text. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. A greater focus on subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage is needed.

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