Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-31

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 picture illustrates the process by which electricity is produced in a hydroelectric power station during the day and at night.

Overall, it is a man-made process. the whole process consist of several stages, beginning with storing the water of the river and ending with supplying electricity to the power stations.

During the day, the river water is collected in the high-level reservoir, which is held back by a dam. When the intake is opened, the water flows downhill from a pipe the power station. As the water passes through the reversible turbines which operates generators and produce electricity. Then, the produced electricity is supplied to power lines by national grid. The used water is discharged to the low-level reservoir.

At night, the water in the low-level reservoir is pumped back through the same pipe towards the high-level reservoir. The intake is closed at this time, allowing the water to stored and reused for electricity generation for the following day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, including the distinction between daytime generation and nighttime pumping. You covered all stages of the cycle, from the high-level reservoir to the national grid and the return flow. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. To reach a higher band, ensure that you describe the relationship between the components more precisely; for example, mentioning that the process is a 'closed-loop' or 'cycle' would add depth to your summary of the main features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the daytime and nighttime operations. You use cohesive devices such as 'During the day', 'Then', and 'At night' to guide the reader through the sequence. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, in the second paragraph, 'the whole process consist' lacks a clear link to the previous sentence. Improving the variety of linking words would help the flow feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using technical terms like 'reservoir', 'intake', 'turbines', and 'national grid' correctly. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the whole process consist' (should be 'consists') and 'from a pipe the power station' (missing a preposition like 'into'). While you successfully convey the technical nature of the diagram, incorporating more precise verbs or descriptive adjectives would elevate the lexical quality. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the process clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical slips that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the whole process consist' (subject-verb agreement), 'which operates generators' (should be 'operate' to match 'turbines'), and 'allowing the water to stored' (should be 'to be stored'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and passive voice construction will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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