Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-08

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 given diagram illustrates the process of how electricity is produced in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, it can be seen that there were several steps of creating electricity. The process begin with high-level reservoir which keep large quantity of water and end with low reservoir.

Looking at the process in more details. First of all, water keep in high-level reservoir and then flow from high level to low with very high pressure. Furthermore, water rotate turbines which connect to generator and make electricity and then transfer electricity powerlines to national grid, this process occured during the day the water which is used once it stored at low level reservoir.

Moreover, at night time the turbine which rotate during the day it worked as a pump during night and help pump water from low reservoir to high reservoir. In addition, the intakes through water flow outside during the day it are closed at night time to store water.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main operating stages and make the important day–night contrast clear: water passes through the turbines to generate electricity by day, while the turbines pump it back to the upper reservoir at night. You also mention the generator, power lines, national grid, and the intake’s different positions. This gives the response a solid account of the process. However, the overview is not fully accurate: the process does not simply “end with low reservoir,” because the water is returned to the high-level reservoir at night, completing a cycle. The river feeding the upper reservoir and the dam could also be included. These omissions and the slightly unclear description of the cycle limit how fully the key features are reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the daytime process and then the nighttime operation. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “Furthermore,” and “Moreover” help signal the stages, and the day/night contrast gives the account an overall logical shape. However, some connections are mechanical, and the long sentence beginning “Furthermore, water rotate turbines” combines several stages without clear boundaries. “Looking at the process in more details” is also a fragment rather than a complete transition. Use clearer sentence divisions and refer explicitly to the water’s movement between the two reservoirs so that the cycle progresses smoothly and references remain clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “turbines,” “generator,” “national grid,” and “pump,” which allows the reader to follow the main stages. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “during the day” and “at night time.” However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive: “creating electricity” is less suitable than describing electricity generation, and “water rotate turbines” does not express the action naturally. “Low reservoir” is also less precise than “low-level reservoir.” These choices do not prevent understanding, but more accurate process verbs and consistent technical terms would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response uses sequencing and time clauses to describe the two operating modes. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to read. For example, “The process begin” needs subject–verb agreement, while “water keep in high-level reservoir” needs a passive form and an article. In “the turbine … it worked,” the subject and pronoun are not controlled clearly, and “the intakes … it are closed” has agreement problems. The sentence beginning “Furthermore” also runs several ideas together. Practise accurate passive constructions and present-simple forms, and divide complex descriptions into complete sentences.

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