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 diagram illustrate the propotion that how electricity is produced in a hydroelectric power station
Overall,It can be seen that this process is consist of several steps and the dam is build on river from high reservoir to generator after that it went for grid station.
In the first step Dam is develop on the river from there high level reservoir intake is open in day time and close at night time and then it went for next process there in day time flow of water make electricity. and in night flow of water pumping.
furthermore it went to power station in day time reversible turbine operate and in night flow of water into high level reservoir then generator make electricity and by power lines it directly went to power grid stations and supply to individuals this is the whole process how electricity produce from river water and turbines others.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to describe the process of electricity generation in a hydroelectric power station, mentioning key elements such as the dam, high-level reservoir, intake, reversible turbines, generator, and national grid. However, the response falls short of fully satisfying the task requirements. The overview is weak, consisting of a fragmented sentence ('Overall,It can be seen that this process is consist of several steps...'), and fails to clearly highlight the cyclical nature of the day and night operations (generating electricity versus pumping water). Furthermore, the details are convoluted, making it difficult to follow the precise sequence of events. While main features are touched upon, they are under-developed and lack clarity, aligning with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The organisation of the text is severely hampered by poor punctuation, run-on sentences, and a lack of proper paragraphing. The response is essentially a single block of text divided into weak, chaotic sentences with erratic capitalisation and missing periods (e.g., 'Overall,It can be seen...', '...water make electricity. and in night flow of water pumping.'). Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, and referencing is frequently unclear, making it hard to determine what noun pronouns refer to. There is no clear logical progression of the process steps, resulting in a confusing read that warrants a Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0 based on standard half-band practices, but strictly leaning toward Band 4 due to the lack of paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic, repetitive, and heavily reliant on the words provided directly in the prompt or diagram (e.g., 'river', 'reservoir', 'generator', 'power station', 'day time', 'night'). There are significant spelling errors, such as 'propotion' for proportion and 'build' instead of built. The writer attempts some less common phrasing, but word choice is often awkward or unidiomatic, such as 'flow of water during pumping' misused as a verb action. Vocabulary control is limited and places strain on the reader, matching the descriptors for Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical structure is very weak. The response relies heavily on simple sentences or awkwardly joined clauses lacking proper subordination and coordination. There is a pervasive lack of punctuation, missing articles, and incorrect verb tenses or forms (e.g., 'the dam is build on river', 'flow of water make electricity', 'electricity produce'). Complex structures are rarely attempted, and when they are, they contain severe structural errors. Frequent grammatical errors cause considerable difficulty for the reader, placing this response firmly in Band 4.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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