Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-16

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 the process of generating electricity in a hydroelectric power station.

overall, water in dam is maintain at high level and then passes through a pipeline. the generator in power station pass this water into power lines and national grid. the pressure of water start rotating the turbines in reversible direction.

first of all, the water from river stored by dam at high level reservoir. the intake of water is on day and is closed at night. then it is passed by tube. the strong flow of water is useful in generating elctricity in day. the generator power is come from national grid and power lines attached to it. the pressure of water moved the generator reversible turbines. the turbines operate the generator at day but at night, it works for pumping the water into reservoir. after that all water then shifted to the area of low level reservoir. te shifts of day and night are different.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the hydroelectric power station process, covering key elements such as the high-level reservoir, dam, intake, turbines, generator, and the distinction between day and night operations. However, the explanation contains inaccuracies and confusion regarding the mechanics of the system, particularly the misstatement that power for the generator comes from the national grid. The overview is weak, consisting of a single lowercase sentence that fails to properly outline the main stages or cyclical nature of the process. While the student addresses the prompt generally, the development of ideas is limited and somewhat confused in places.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is divided into three very short paragraphs, including a single-sentence introduction and a second paragraph that starts with a lowercase letter. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes inaccurate, such as abrupt transitions and confusing references. For instance, the sequence of events becomes difficult to follow in the second paragraph due to a lack of clear logical progression. Paragraphing is rudimentary and does not effectively structure the different phases of the day and night cycle.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The lexical range is limited and basic, with numerous spelling errors (e.g., "maintain" instead of maintained, "elctricity" instead of electricity, "te" instead of The). The student attempts some task-specific vocabulary such as "reservoir", "turbines", and "generator", but word choices and collocations are often unnatural or imprecise, such as "pass this water into power lines" and "the generator power is come from national grid". These lexical inaccuracies occasionally impede smooth reading and comprehension.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The essay displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent structural errors. There are notable issues with verb forms and subject-verb agreement, such as "water in dam is maintain" and "the pressure of water moved the generator". Punctuation is also weak, with missing capitalisation at the beginnings of sentences (e.g., "overall", "the generator", "first of all"). These frequent errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader.

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

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