Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-21

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 6.5)

The process shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station. In general, the diagram can be separated into day and night stages with the daylight stages involving the generation of electricity from a river and storage of water in a reservoir. At night the water flows back in the other direction towards an initial reservoir and the river.

The first stage of the process involves channelling the river into a high-level reservoir backed up by a dam. There is an intake area leading to the power station that is open during the day and closes at night. Water flows during the day to generate electricity through the power station turbines and the resulting electricity is sent to a national grid through power lines while the water then continues to a low-level reservoir.

The reversible turbines that operate the generator during the day allow the station to pump the water in the low-level reservoir back into the high-level reservoir for use the next day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully covers all the key stages of the hydroelectric power station process. The response provides a clear overview in the introduction, distinguishing between daytime electricity generation and night-time water pumping. Key features such as the river, high-level and low-level reservoirs, dam, intake valve, reversible turbines, and national grid are all accurately reported and positioned within the cycle. The explanation of how water flows during the day and is pumped back at night demonstrates a solid understanding of the diagram. The response meets the minimum length requirement easily with 165 words and is well-focused on the visual data without introducing irrelevant outside knowledge.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The report displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. The paragraphs are appropriately structured, moving from an introductory overview of the day and night cycles into the detailed sequence of daytime generation and concluding with night-time operations. Cohesive devices such as 'In general', 'The first stage', and 'during the day' are used effectively to guide the reader through the process. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraphing could be slightly more balanced by separating the complex night-time mechanism into its own concluding thought. Overall, cohesion is functional and aids readability without noticeable disruption.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and sufficiently varied range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic process description. Terms such as 'hydroelectric power station', 'high-level reservoir', 'conduit', 'reversible turbines', and 'national grid' are employed correctly. There are attempts to use less common items and precise process verbs like 'channelling', 'generate', and 'pump'. Word choice and collocations are generally natural, with only minor lapses such as 'initial reservoir' when referring back to the low-level or feeding system. Spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases successfully (e.g., 'backed up by a dam', 'that are open during the day and closes at night'). There is a minor agreement slip ('closes' instead of 'close' referencing intake areas), but the majority of sentences are error-free and punctuation is handled well. Grammatical control is steady throughout, and complex structures do not impede communication, supporting a solid Band 7 level of accuracy.

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