Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-06

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 given visual portraits a overall summary on electricity generation through hydroelectric power station. This includes the flow of water from a water body like river which continues to meet the working station where it is utilised in the process in day and night cycles.

The process starts with water intake from high-level reservoir made from damns which stores up the flowing water. The flow is then passed down to actual station where it the flow enables the reversible turbines to catch the torque and rotate at higher speeds which generates electricity which is transmitted through power lines into the national grid.

It is also oberserved how every process has a timing schedule. Water flow is arranged in day time while its pumping back is done in night. Similarly, turbines generate power in day time while pump water back up in the night. In this way water is cleanly utilised without being polluted and a good electricity source is established.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main features of the hydroelectric power station process, covering the generation phase during the day and the pumping phase at night. However, some aspects are only partially developed or lack precision. For example, the writer mentions that water flows from a 'water body like river', which is vague, and describes the intake and dam components in a somewhat generalized manner. While an overview is attempted in the first paragraph, the reporting of the cyclical day-and-night process is repetitive and misses some key interconnected technical stages, such as the specific role of the reversible turbines acting in reverse at night. Consequently, the task is addressed only partially, placing this criterion at the current level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organization with an introduction, body, and concluding summary, but the text lacks clear overall progression between paragraphs. The relationship between sentences can be mechanical or repetitive, particularly in the final paragraph where ideas about the day and night cycles are restated without smooth transitional links. Cohesive devices are used rather simply, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the ambiguous pronoun use in phrases like 'where it the flow enables'. Paragraphing is present, but the internal logical flow requires better signposting to guide the reader seamlessly through the cyclical diagram.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to describe the basic features of the diagram. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items such as 'utilised', 'reversible turbines', and 'transmitted', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word form, such as 'visual portraits a overall summary' instead of 'portrays an overall summary', 'damns' instead of 'dams', and 'oberserved'. Furthermore, expression is hindered by awkward phrasing like 'pumping back is done in night'. These lexical inadequacies cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic coordination. When complex structures are attempted, they frequently contain errors, such as missing articles ('a overall summary'), incorrect prepositions ('in night' instead of 'at night'), and faulty relative clauses ('where it the flow enables'). Punctuation is also weak, leading to run-on structures. Frequent grammatical errors of this nature cause noticeable difficulty for the reader, aligning the grammar performance with the assigned band.

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