Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-29
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)
A hydroelectric power generator is shown in the image with all features from river to low-level reservoir.
Overall, the diagram shows that how water produce electricity, as well as it shows all procedure with functionality of each part respectivily. A hydroelectric power station is generally consist of two sections. An upper part (High-level reservoir) and a lower part (Low-level reservoir).
The upper part contain a huge tank shape body with open sky to store water. It is actually consist of a high strength concrete wall from front side, known as Dam and usually have intake at the bottom level in that wall to flow water with highspeed. In diagram it shows that it is opened at day time and closed at the night.
Furthermore, power station has a lower part where a generator is installed to convert water energy into electric energy and it is connected with a National grid station with power lines.
Both, upper and lower parts are linked to flow water downward at the day time and reverse it back to refill reservoir at the night.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to describe the hydroelectric power station diagram, but the response falls short of fully satisfying the requirements for Task Achievement. While some main features are mentioned—such as the high-level reservoir, the dam, the intake, the generator, and the low-level reservoir—the description lacks a comprehensive explanation of the cyclical day and night process shown in the visual. Specifically, the crucial distinction between daytime electricity generation and nighttime water pumping via the reversible turbines is only vaguely touched upon in the final sentence rather than being clearly integrated into the sequential stages of the process. Consequently, the overview is weak, and several parts of the process are under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into paragraphs, but the overall progression of information is disjointed. The opening paragraph is unnecessarily meta-referential ('A hydroelectric power generator is shown in the image...'). While some basic cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'Both', referencing and logical sequencing are occasionally faulty. For instance, the transition between discussing the upper reservoir, the lower parts, and the day/night cycle feels abrupt and lacks smooth connectivity, making the overall arrangement somewhat mechanical and difficult to follow logically.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with several awkward word choices and spelling errors, such as 'respectivily', 'contain' instead of 'contains', 'tank shape body', and 'highspeed'. There are limited attempts at less common lexical items, but these are often imprecise or inaccurate (e.g., 'National grid station'). While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the general topic, it lacks the precision and flexibility expected for higher band scores, leading to noticeable lexical limitations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical control is weak. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The upper part contain', 'it is actually consist'), missing articles, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'shows that how water produce electricity'). Punctuation is also problematic, including unnecessary comma splices and stray spaces. Although these errors do not completely prevent the reader from grasping the general topic, they occur with high frequency and impede smooth reading.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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