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 a cyclical process of electricity generation in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, it is a sustainable electricity generation process that works differently during day and night. During the daytime, the water is flown from a high-level reservoir to power electricity and at night the process is reversed when the electricity demand is lower.

At first, during the daytime water from river is reserved is a high-level reservoir behind a dam. Intake of water generally remains opened during day but is closed at night. Then, the water flows to reversible turbines to the power station through a channel, where the turbines operate generator to power electricity. The electricity is then transferred through power lines to nation grids. The used water then enters the low-level reservoir.

At night, when the demand of electricity is lower, the turbines change its operation and work as pumps, which pump the water back into high-level reservoir ready for the next day's usage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the hydroelectric process, including the cyclical nature of the day/night operation. You have clearly distinguished between the daytime generation phase and the nighttime pumping phase. However, the description of the mechanics is slightly imprecise; for instance, stating that water is 'flown' (incorrect verb form) and 'reserved' (incorrect word choice) in the reservoir. While the overview is clear, the report could be improved by providing more precise details regarding the components, such as the specific role of the 'intake' and the 'channel' connecting the reservoirs. Overall, the response covers the key stages of the process effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the day and night cycles. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'At first,' 'Then,' and 'At night,' which help guide the reader through the process. However, the use of referencing is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct phases of the operation, which contributes to the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'cyclical process,' 'sustainable,' 'reversible turbines,' and 'national grids.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'water is flown' (should be 'flows'), 'reserved' (should be 'stored'), and 'power electricity' (should be 'generate electricity'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your technical description. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations related to mechanical processes and energy generation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips. For example, 'water is flown' is an incorrect passive construction, 'turbines change its operation' contains a subject-verb agreement error (should be 'their'), and 'power electricity' is used repeatedly where 'generate electricity' would be more accurate. Additionally, there are minor issues with articles, such as 'into high-level reservoir' (should be 'the high-level reservoir'). Despite these errors, the sentence structures are varied enough to convey the process clearly without causing confusion.

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