Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-19
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 5.5)
The diagram shows what happens in a hydroelectric power station during the day and night and how electricity is produced.
Overall, the diagram illustrates a short process and shows us key steps in a hydroelectric power station and how it is supplied to the national grid and then used for daily consumption.
During the day time, water is drained from the river to the high level reservoir and then passed through the open gates of the dam. Flow of the water is downwards as it passes through the dam to the power station. Then, with the help reversible turbines the generator is operated. Then in the generator electricity is generated and through the power lines goes to the national grid.
During the night time, the flow of water direction is upwards. From the low level reservoir, water is pumped upwards with the help of reversibe turbines as the gates of the dams get closed during the night.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student covers all parts of the task by explaining both the daytime and night-time cycles of the hydroelectric power station. An overview is attempted at the beginning, though it is slightly repetitive. Key features, such as the flow of water, the role of the reservoir and dam, and the reversible turbines, are identified and reported. However, some stages could be more clearly distinguished, and the description relies heavily on simple reporting rather than sophisticated synthesis. There are minor inaccuracies in the process description, such as stating that water is drained from the river to the high-level reservoir during the day, whereas the diagram shows a continuous feeding relationship. Overall, the response addresses the prompt adequately and achieves a Band 6.0 level for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into a brief introduction with an overview, a body paragraph detailing the daytime process, and a final paragraph covering the night-time cycle. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the two main phases of the operation. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Overall', 'During the day time', 'Then', and 'During the night time'. However, the overuse of sequential linkers like 'Then' makes the progression feel somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow between sentences could be smoother with more varied transitional phrases. Coherence is maintained overall, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a technical process, including terms such as 'hydroelectric power station', 'national grid', 'reversible turbines', 'reservoir', and 'generator'. However, there are some awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'what happens in a hydroelectric power station' and 'flow of the water is downwards'. There are also spelling and word-form errors, notably 'reversibe' instead of 'reversible'. Less common lexical items are attempted but lack precision and natural collocation. These limitations place the lexical resource at a Band 5.5 to 6.0 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The diagram shows what happens in a hydroelectric power station during the day and night and how electricity is produced.' While there are some correct structures, grammatical errors are noticeable and occur frequently. Examples include missing prepositions or articles, such as 'with the help reversible turbines' (missing 'of') and 'in the generator electricity is generated and through the power lines goes to the national grid' (awkward passive and active coordination). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but structural awkwardness occasionally impedes smooth reading. This corresponds to a Band 5.5, rounded to 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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