Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-18
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 map illustrate the changes that have occured in hydroelectric power station between river and flow.
Overall, the area has been significantly transformed with notable changes including the development of infrastucture and high level machinery.
Having a myopic look, it becomes lucid that in when the river flows and increase the level then the dam is open in day-time moreover close at night as per level of river or operating system was characterized by flow of water to generate electricity in day go downward on the other hand the flow of water during pumping in night work in upward however, as per the diagram both system is interlinked.
Additionally, flow of water in day time go through generator to low-level reservoir although in night water flow will pump through low-level reservoir and between all this process saw considerable changes. In between all this process of high level of river flow the power station of generator pumps and go through power lines and finally make electricity.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The student attempts to describe the hydroelectric power station process diagram, but the response suffers from severe misinterpretations. The student treats the diagram as a 'map' showing 'changes that have occured' over time, indicating a fundamental misunderstanding of the task type (treating a mechanical/process diagram as a dynamic geographical or temporal change over years). Furthermore, key components such as the high-level and low-level reservoirs, the dam, the generator, and the day/night cycle are described in a very confused and garbled manner. While some elements are mentioned, the lack of an accurate, coherent overview of how the cycle works results in a low score for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The organization of the response is extremely weak. The text is largely composed of run-on sentences and overly convoluted clauses that make it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. Although a rudimentary overview sentence is attempted, paragraphing is inadequate and cohesive devices are either misused or absent. For instance, phrases like 'Having a myopic look, it becomes lucid that in when...' create confusion rather than logical flow. Referencing is unclear, and the overall structure fails to present a clear, logical progression through the stages of the diagram.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.5
The lexical range is very limited and inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. The student uses incorrect vocabulary, such as referring to a process diagram as a 'map' showing 'changes that have occured' (e.g., 'The map illustrate the changes...'). There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'infrastucture', 'lucid' used incorrectly for 'clear', and unnatural collocations like 'high level machinery' and 'myopic look'. While basic topic words like 'river', 'water', and 'generator' appear, vocabulary errors frequently impede clear communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical range is severely restricted by heavy reliance on faulty complex and compound structures. Almost every sentence contains serious grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'The map illustrate', 'both system is interlinked'), missing prepositions, and chaotic clause structures (e.g., 'in when the river flows and increase the level then the dam is open...'). Punctuation is poorly handled, resulting in massive run-on sentences. Error-free sentences are extremely rare, causing considerable difficulty and confusion for the reader.
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