Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-05

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)

The diagram depicts how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station. In this picture there is full procedure of how electricity produced using water from river to national grid.

Starting from the river which is used to collect water for high level reservoirs before dam. Dam is used for creating flow of water to generate electricity in day time. At night low level reservoirs are used to create reverse flow of water back to high level of reservoirs.

The water coming from high level reservoirs and going towards low level there is a generator which is connected to power lines and further with national grid.

This whole generator system is called power station.

There are turbines which help reverse flow of water at night towards high level reservoirs from low level.

This whole process is used to create electricity and this was a graphical explanation of hydroelectrical power station.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response only partially addresses the task requirements. First, it fails to meet the minimum length requirement, falling short of the 150-word target at 141 words (excluding copied prompt text). Furthermore, while the writer attempts to describe the process, the coverage of the diagram's key features is limited and basic. Important elements such as the intake, the specific day and night cycles of water flow, the role of reversible turbines, and the connection to the national grid are either omitted, described inaccurately, or under-developed. For instance, the distinction between daytime electricity generation and nighttime water pumping is poorly explained. To reach a higher band, the writer must ensure the word count requirement is met and provide a more thorough, accurate overview of all stages shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response exhibits some organization, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas. The text is broken into short, choppy paragraphs that fail to guide the reader logically through the sequential stages of the hydroelectric process. Cohesive devices are minimal, inadequate, and repetitive, often relying on basic transitions or abrupt shifts in topic, such as jumping abruptly to the power station definition ('This whole generator system is called power station'). Referencing is also occasionally unclear. To improve Coherence and Cohesion, the writer needs to group related stages of the diagram into well-developed paragraphs and use a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to link the steps of the process logically from the river to the national grid.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey a basic understanding of the diagram. The writer uses some relevant terms such as 'electricity', 'reservoir', 'generator', and 'turbines', but also employs unnatural collocations and repetitive phrasing, such as 'full procedure' and 'high level of reservoirs'. There are noticeable lexical errors, including the misuse of 'hydroelectrical' instead of 'hydroelectric'. Spelling and word-choice errors do not completely impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to restrict the score at this level. To achieve a higher band, the writer must incorporate a wider, more precise range of vocabulary and standard academic collocations related to process diagrams.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic active constructions. Attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty or awkward, such as missing articles and prepositions in phrases like 'going towards low level there is a generator' and 'water from river to national grid'. There are frequent errors in prepositions, articles, and sentence boundaries that cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve in this area, the writer needs to demonstrate better control over complex clause structures, ensure accurate use of articles and prepositions, and eliminate frequent grammatical slips to make the writing smoother and more accurate.

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

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