Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

This diagram illustrates the process by which electricity is produced in a hydraulic power station, and how the system operates differently during day and at night.

Overall, the process involves two main stages:-

* Generating water from high-level reservoir

* Pumping the water back at night to reuse it

The system relies on reversible turbines and two reservoirs at different heights.

During the day, the water from the river is collected in the high-level reservoir behind a dam. The intake is open, allowing water to flow down through a pipe to the power station. As the water passes through reversible turbines, it drives a generator to produce electricity. The electricity is then transmitted to the national grid via power lines. The used water flows into the low level reservoir.

At night, the process reverses. The intake is closed, turbines work as a pumps. They used electricity to pump water from the low level reservoir back to the high level reservoir.

In summary, the station generates power in the day and stores energy by pumping water back at night, making the system efficient and reusable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the hydroelectric power station, including the day and night cycles and the role of the reservoirs and turbines. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. However, the use of bullet points in the introduction is not standard for IELTS Academic Task 1 reports; it is better to use full sentences to maintain a formal academic tone. Additionally, while you mention the process, ensure that you explicitly describe the 'reversible' nature of the turbines more clearly in the body paragraphs to fully capture the technical aspect of the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, moving from an introduction to the day cycle, then the night cycle, and finally a summary. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited. Phrases like 'During the day' and 'At night' are effective, but the transition between the two cycles could be smoother. The bullet points in the introduction disrupt the flow of the text. To improve, try to use more varied linking words such as 'consequently,' 'subsequently,' or 'in contrast' to connect the stages of the process more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary relevant to the topic, such as 'reservoir,' 'reversible turbines,' 'national grid,' and 'transmitted.' This is sufficient for the task. There are some minor errors, such as 'Generating water' (which is inaccurate; the water is stored, not generated) and 'turbines work as a pumps' (grammatical error). To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that technical terms are used accurately in context. Avoid repetitive phrasing by using synonyms for 'water' or 'process' where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'turbines work as a pumps' (should be 'as pumps') and 'the low level reservoir' (missing hyphenation for compound adjectives). There is also a minor error in 'Generating water from high-level reservoir' (missing article 'a' or 'the'). Despite these errors, the grammar does not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles with technical nouns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.