Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-14
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 4.5)
The diagram shows the generation of electricity from a hydroelectric power station.
Overall, it is evident that the power supply is drawn from water; however, the dam is opened and closed at specific times of the day, while the power house is operated by a generator.
The river is directed into the reservoir and stored in the part called the dam, while the dam is opened to allow water to generate electricity during the day.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is severely under-length, containing only 75 words compared to the required minimum of 150 words. As a result, it fails to fully cover the main features of the diagram. While it attempts an overview and mentions the reservoir and dam, it omits crucial parts of the dual-cycle process, such as the reversible turbines, the generator, power lines, and the nighttime pumping phase. Due to the significant under-length and incomplete coverage of the diagram, the task achievement is heavily penalised.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The text is divided into three very short paragraphs, including a single-sentence overview. Although a basic cohesive framework is attempted using words like 'Overall' and 'while', the extreme brevity of the text prevents any clear progression or logical development of ideas across the process. Paragraphing is technically present due to line breaks, but the response is too brief to demonstrate proper cohesion and logical sequencing of a complex diagram.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with terms directly lifted from the prompt such as 'hydroelectric power station', 'reservoir', 'dam', and 'water'. There is an inadequate range of vocabulary to describe a technical process, and some collocations are awkward or inaccurate, such as 'the dam is opened and closed at specific times of the day' rather than referring to intake valves or gates. The limited word count further restricts the display of lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a few complex sentences using subordinate clauses, such as 'Overall, it is evident that the power supply is drawn from water; however, the dam is opened...'. However, the range of grammatical structures is very limited due to the overall length of only 75 words. There are basic structural and semantic flaws in how the process is described, although the grammar present does not completely obscure the basic meaning.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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