Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-01

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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the power production in a hydroelectric energy station.

The process has been shown in a circular method during the day and night. During the day when the river flow is on its higher level reservior the Dam supports heavy water flow. Dam can be seen above the electricity center. Through the intake water flows down towards the Generator and entire energy transfers into power lines and finally reaches to the National grid. As a result, the water goes into the lower level reservoir and from their the Reversible turbines pump the water back to the higher level reservoir during the night. Entire night the pump pushes the water back to the upper level storage.

Overall, this is extremely simple and natural way to produce electricity. Water only helps the machines, turbines and generators to work in their appropriate way using its power. Hydroelectric power stations are an enormous invention by mankind.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses the main parts of the diagram, attempting to summarize the dual daytime and nighttime processes of the hydroelectric power station. Relevant stages such as the high-level reservoir, intake, generator, and lower-level reservoir are mentioned. However, some aspects are under-developed or imprecise, particularly regarding the cyclical nature of the reversible turbines and how the day and night phases contrast clearly. For instance, the transition from the national grid to the lower-level reservoir is somewhat confused ('As a result, the water goes into the lower level reservoir and from their the Reversible turbines pump...'). To move to a higher band, the student should ensure all key features, such as the exact operational differences of the intake and turbines between day and night, are presented with greater clarity and precision without introducing subjective commentary in the conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement and attempts to follow the chronological and cyclical flow of the process diagram. Logical connectors and time markers such as 'During the day', 'Through the intake', and 'finally' help guide the reader through the stages. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty, as seen in referencing issues like 'from their' instead of 'there', and abrupt transitions between sentences. Paragraphing is also rudimentary, with the body of the process compressed into a single dense paragraph alongside the introduction. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to improve the logical progression between sentences and group related steps of the process into distinct, well-structured paragraphs using a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully employing topic-specific terms such as 'hydroelectric energy station', 'reservoir', 'intake', 'generator', and 'National grid'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but this is accompanied by some word-choice errors and spelling mistakes, such as using 'higher level reservior' where 'high-level' or 'higher-level' is needed, and confusing 'their' with 'there'. These minor lexical slips do not impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the general meaning. To reach the next band, the student should expand their range of vocabulary, improve precision in collocations related to technical processes, and eliminate spelling and word-form inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, attempting structures like conditional or temporal clauses ('During the day when the river flow is on its higher level reservior...'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including prepositional and article errors ('on its higher level reservior', 'reaches to the National grid'), subject-verb agreement issues, and awkward phrasing ('Entire night the pump pushes...'). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication. To move to a higher band, the student must increase the frequency of error-free sentences, exercise tighter control over articles and prepositions, and use more varied complex structures accurately.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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