Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-03

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 gives us the information about the hydroelectric system. The details is mainly about how the hydroelectric power station work and how it can generate electricity in a power station of hydroelectric.

Overall, the process starts from the river which is High-level reservoir. There is a flow of water to generate electricity and finally after passing form generator it's converted into Low-level reservoir.

The basic work begins from river which consist on High-level reservoir. The intake of a dam is closed at night and open in the day. The flow of water is backward at night during pumping, and the flow of water generate electricity in day time. The power station consist on a generator. The generator take power form the National grid. The reversible turbines in the day operate generator and at night it's pump water into high-level reservoir. The turbines are open at night on Low-level reservoir and it's closed on the day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies the main features of the hydroelectric power station, such as the high-level and low-level reservoirs and the role of the generator and turbines. However, the description of the process is somewhat confusing and lacks clarity regarding the cyclical nature of the system. For instance, the explanation of when the intake is open or closed is contradictory and does not accurately reflect the mechanics shown in a typical hydroelectric diagram. While the main features are mentioned, the lack of precise detail and the presence of inaccurate information regarding the operation of the turbines and the grid connection prevent this from reaching a higher band. The overview is present but could be more clearly articulated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'The flow of water' and 'The generator'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when using 'it's' to refer back to different components. The logical flow between the day and night cycles is hampered by awkward phrasing and a lack of smooth transitions, which makes the overall argument difficult to follow in places.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic terms like 'work', 'generate', and 'power station'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'The details is mainly about' (should be 'are') and 'consist on' (should be 'consists of'). The vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. The student struggles to use technical terminology accurately, which is essential for a process description task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('The details is', 'The generator take'), incorrect preposition usage ('consist on'), and punctuation errors. There are also issues with article usage and tense consistency. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors is high enough to cause some difficulty for the reader and indicates a lack of control over more complex grammatical structures.

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

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