Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The illustraion demonstrate how electricity is generated using hydrolic mechanism. Hydrolic mehanism uses water flow in correct direction to invent favourable outcomes.

Overall, it contains a high level setup of power stations mostly near dams as they produce the required water flow. These water flows then to a power station that distrubutes the electricty over national grid.

To commence with, water is mainly kept at a high level reservoir which opens during the day time. The water is sent along the slope with a great velocity directly over to turbine, which rotates with water pressure. Turbine is connected to a generator that stores energy from its rotating blades.

Moreover, the generator is connected with a powerline which is then connected to the national grid for power supply.

Here, the turbine used is a reversibe turbine that operates as a generator during day time and pumps water back from low-level reservoir to high-level reservoir at night.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, including the reservoir, turbine, generator, and the reversible nature of the system. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, professional tone. While the main stages are identified, the explanation of the process is occasionally vague, such as the phrase 'invent favourable outcomes,' which does not accurately describe the mechanical process. To improve, ensure that the summary focuses strictly on the technical stages shown in the diagram rather than using filler language. The overview is present but could be more precise in highlighting the cyclical nature of the system.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with,' 'Moreover,' and 'Overall' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally weak. For example, the transition between the reservoir and the turbine could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task, but the internal flow within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically upon the previous one.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

There are several spelling errors, such as 'illustraion,' 'hydrolic,' 'mehanism,' and 'distrubutes,' which detract from the professional quality of the writing. The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'high level setup' and 'invent favourable outcomes' are imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more technical and accurate terminology related to engineering processes, such as 'hydroelectric,' 'potential energy,' or 'kinetic energy,' and ensure that spelling is accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'The illustraion demonstrate' (subject-verb agreement), 'distrubutes the electricty over national grid' (missing articles), and 'directly over to turbine' (preposition error). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles (a/the), and prepositional phrases. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help raise your band score.

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