Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-03

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 below illustrates how electcity is generated in hydroelectric power station.

Overall, this process includes many etapes starting with the water of the river and finished by flowing the water during pumping using the reversible turbines.

Firstly, the water comes from the river to the dam and stay there until high level of reservoir. the dam opening this etape called the intake which opening in day and closing in night and the water flow to the reversible turbine to generate electricity, this reversible turbine consist from generator and and power lines plus a dam of low level reservoir and in the day work like operate generator and in the night work like pump water.

Moreover, the generator of the reversible turbine push the water of high reservoir the to the low level reservoir and also to the national grid by power station, this etape in the day, and in the night the water flow by pumping to the high level reservoir.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response makes an attempt to present an overview of the hydroelectric power station process, and it meets the minimum word count requirement. However, the task is addressed only partially because key features and stages are missing, confused, or inadequately explained. For instance, the distinction between daytime and night-time operations is blurred, and the student writes that the generator pushes water from the high reservoir to the low-level reservoir and national grid, which misinterprets the diagram's representation of day and night cycles and power generation. The overview provided in the second sentence ('this process includes many etapes starting with the water of the river and finished by flowing the water during pumping') is vague and lacks clarity regarding the cyclical nature of the system. To reach a higher band, the response must present a clearer, more accurate summary of the overall process and report the main stages—such as day generation versus night pumping—without factual confusion or omission.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organisation in the response, moving from an introductory statement to body details. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the arrangement feels disjointed. Paragraphing is poorly handled, as the main body is lumped into two massive, dense paragraphs that mix multiple steps together without logical separation. Cohesive devices are repetitive and basic, relying heavily on words like 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and mechanical chaining of clauses with 'and'. Furthermore, referencing is frequently unclear; phrases like 'this etape called the intake which opening in day and closing in night and the water flow...' run multiple ideas together into confusing, breathless run-on sentences. To improve, the writer needs to divide the text into logical paragraphs representing different phases of the diagram and use a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to guide the reader smoothly through the sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for an academic task, featuring noticeable errors that occasionally impede understanding. The student relies on basic terms and attempts some less common vocabulary, but this results in awkward word choices, non-standard terms, and word-formation errors, such as using 'etapes' instead of stages or steps, 'electcity' (spelling error), and awkward phrases like 'dam of low level reservoir' and 'work like operate generator'. Spelling mistakes ('electcity') and repetitive phrasing recur throughout the short text. To achieve a higher band, the writer must expand their lexical repertoire with precise topic-specific vocabulary related to processes (e.g., 'conduit', 'reservoir', 'turbine', 'cycle'), ensure correct word forms, and eliminate basic spelling errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences or poorly linked compound structures. Attempts at complex sentences are consistently faulty, marred by missing verbs, incorrect verb forms, and severe punctuation issues such as run-on sentences with comma splices or missing periods. Examples include 'the dam opening this etape called the intake which opening in day and closing in night' and 'the water flow by pumping to the high level reservoir', where subject-verb agreement and tense consistency break down entirely. Frequent errors in articles, prepositions, and verb tenses cause difficulty for the reader and obscure the meaning of the process. To progress, the student must focus on structuring complete sentences with correct subjects and main verbs, improving control over subordinate clauses, and using accurate tense forms for describing mechanical processes.

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

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