Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-11
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 diagram of a working hydroelectric power station is shown in this diagram. There is a river above the higher level reservoir. Water stores in a dam there is a intake at the bottom of the dam which opens at day time and closes at night time. Day time when the intake is open the water moves from higher level to lower level to the turbines. Water moves the turbines in rotation and then the turbines rotates the generator in power station which generates electricity by power lines it powers the National grid system. There is also a reservoir at lower level connected to turbines. When the water moves towards the turbines that water stores in a low level reservoir. At night , water from lower level transfer at higher level reservoir with the help of turbines
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
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 the student identifies the main features of the hydroelectric process, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole. The explanation of the cycle is slightly repetitive and misses some of the technical nuances shown in the diagram, such as the specific role of the transformer or the flow direction. Because the response is under-length and lacks a cohesive summary, it does not fully address all parts of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response lacks paragraphing, which is essential for a clear structure in an IELTS Task 1 report. The flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed, relying on simple, repetitive sentence structures rather than a logical progression of the process. Cohesive devices are minimal and often misused; for example, the transition between the daytime and nighttime phases is abrupt. To improve, the student should group related information into distinct paragraphs—such as the power generation phase and the water recycling phase—and use a wider range of linking words to connect the stages of the process more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'water', 'moves', and 'reservoir'. There is little attempt to use precise technical vocabulary related to hydroelectric power, such as 'conduit', 'penstock', 'kinetic energy', or 'transmission'. Some word choices are inaccurate, such as 'water stores in a dam' (should be 'is stored') and 'transfer at higher level' (should be 'is transferred to'). The range is sufficient for basic communication but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score in an academic task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response consists almost entirely of simple sentences with frequent grammatical errors. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('turbines rotates'), incorrect preposition usage ('transfer at higher level'), and missing articles ('in power station'). The lack of complex sentence structures limits the grammatical range significantly. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors is high, and the lack of variety in sentence construction prevents the demonstration of the control required for higher bands. Focusing on sentence combining and correct verb tense usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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