Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-13
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 illustrates how electricity is produced by water and how it is again shifted in the dam.
Overall, the hydroelectric power station works at both times day and night. In day time electricity is produced by water and in night it is again sent into high-level reservoir.
During day, water comes from river and fall into dam area. From here water release toward slope. When water reaches near the turbines it contains allot
of speed to rotate the turbines. When turbines gain maximum velocity they began to generate electricity. This electricity is shifted to power lines and these lines supply electricity to national grid. In this way electricity is produced. Remaining water gathers in low-level reservoir.
During night , a reverse process is started. Water is pumped into high-level reservoir by reversible turbines. Water reaches again into high-level reservoir through intake. This process is repeated considerably many times to produced electricity.
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 student attempts to describe the hydroelectric power station diagram, covering both daytime electricity generation and nighttime water pumping processes. However, the response lacks a clear and comprehensive overview of the main features, and the description of the mechanical steps is somewhat simplistic and imprecise (e.g., stating water 'comes from river and fall into dam area'). Furthermore, key labels from the diagram such as 'high-level reservoir', 'low-level reservoir', and 'reversible turbines' are mentioned, but the explanation of the continuous cycle is underdeveloped. Overall, the response addresses the prompt partially, fitting the Band 5 descriptor.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into short paragraphs representing different stages of the process, which provides a basic structural framework. However, the logical progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and abrupt transitions, such as 'In this way electricity is produced.' Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes mechanical ('During day', 'From here', 'During night'). Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the paragraphing does not fully guide the reader through a seamless logical progression. This demonstrates features of Band 5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with noticeable errors in word choice and collocation (e.g., 'shifted in the dam', 'allot of speed', 'began to generate' instead of 'begin'). The student does successfully incorporate some subject-specific terminology from the prompt such as 'turbines', 'reservoir', and 'power lines', but the overall lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task, aligning with a Band 5 score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in verb tense and agreement (e.g., 'water come... and fall', 'to produced electricity'), prepositions ('in night' instead of 'at night'), and articles. While these errors do not completely obscure the overall meaning, they cause noticeable difficulty for the reader and reflect typical limitations of Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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