Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-04

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 5.0)

The process of generating the electricity in a hydroelectric power station starts from the river where the water flows into dam at high level reservoirs. The dam usually open at the day time and closes at night.

At the daytime the water generates electricity and night the water flow pumps into power station where the pump generator pumps water into high level reservoir. In the other hand at the day the generator which is located in the power station operate generator. Then the water became low level reservoir at day time. And the gates opened. The power station is connect to the power line and the national grid. And the process keeps on repeating and goes like this on daily basis. This is how the generation of electricity in a hydroelectric power station generates

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have attempted to describe the process, the explanation is fragmented and lacks a clear overview of the cycle. You have identified some key features, such as the dam and the power station, but the description of the mechanism is confusing and inaccurate in places (e.g., stating the dam 'usually open at the day time'). To improve, ensure you provide a clear, logical summary of the entire process from start to finish, and ensure your response meets the length requirement to allow for full development of the information provided in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response lacks a clear structure. It is written as a single, short paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of the process. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas; for example, the transition between the daytime and nighttime operations is abrupt and confusing. The use of referencing is also weak, making it hard to track what 'the generator' or 'the water' refers to at different stages. To improve, use clear paragraphing to separate the stages of the process and employ linking words such as 'subsequently', 'meanwhile', or 'in contrast' to guide the reader through the cycle.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'water', 'generator', and 'power station' throughout the text. There is little attempt to use more precise or technical vocabulary related to hydroelectric processes, such as 'intake', 'turbine', 'penstock', or 'recycled'. Furthermore, there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the water became low level reservoir', which is grammatically and lexically awkward. To improve, try to incorporate more specific terminology relevant to the diagram and avoid repeating the same nouns and verbs in every sentence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. Examples include 'the process of generating the electricity... starts from the river', 'the dam usually open', and 'the generator... operate generator'. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, and there are issues with article usage (e.g., 'at the daytime'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentences that would demonstrate a higher level of control. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and practice using complex structures like relative clauses or passive voice, which are essential for describing technical processes.

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

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