Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-11

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 explain the primary steps that how electricity is produced in hydroelectric power station.

Overall, It is clear that the step is start from the river and ends on the turbines in the hydroelectric station.In this part the speed of water is important that directly connect with the amount of electricity produce.

The first step is to enter the river water into the dam with high-level reservoir and intake of dam is open in day and closed for night.Than water moves from towards the genrator with high speed.Then there is main part of this whole process that is Genrator inside the power station.Inside the genrator there is turbine which accounts for makig the electricity. Then energy produced by the turbine going into the power lines across to the National grid, so peoples use according to their intreset.

On the other hand hand this process is reversible at night. The turbine runs opposite so it refil the high level reservoir.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad subject and include several relevant stages: water enters from the river, the intake is open by day and closed at night, electricity reaches the national grid, and the system operates in reverse at night. However, the overview is inaccurate: you say the process “ends on the turbines,” whereas the daytime flow continues through the low-level reservoir, and the turbines are part of the process rather than its endpoint. The account also misplaces the generator and turbines, and omits the low-level reservoir’s role in the daytime cycle. The claim that water speed determines the amount of electricity is not shown in the diagram. To make the summary more complete and accurate, describe the full day cycle and explain how pumping returns water to the high-level reservoir at night.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from the river and dam to electricity transmission, then adding a final paragraph about nighttime operation. This gives the reader some sense of the process. However, progression is not consistently clear: the overview says the process ends at the turbines, while the next paragraph continues to the national grid. The phrase “In this part” has an unclear reference, and “On the other hand hand” is both repetitive and an awkward transition. Several stages are crowded into one paragraph, with little separation between water movement, generation, and transmission. Organise the response into a concise overview followed by a clearly ordered daytime sequence and a separate explanation of the reverse nighttime flow; use linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship between stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “intake,” “power station,” “power lines,” and “National grid,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “enter the river water into the dam,” “the turbine runs opposite,” and “refil the high level reservoir.” Spelling errors in “genrator,” “makig,” and “intreset” also reduce precision. Some expressions, including “main part of this whole process,” are vague rather than technical. Aim to use precise process verbs and consistent terminology from the diagram, such as “flows,” “drives,” “generates,” and “is pumped back,” and check spelling and compound forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few longer sentences, for example the sentence describing the intake and the sentence linking electricity production to the power lines, but most structures are simple or joined with “and” or “then.” Errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “The diagram explain,” “the step is start,” and “the amount of electricity produce,” which show problems with agreement, verb forms, and sentence construction. The sentence beginning “Inside the genrator” also incorrectly places the turbine inside the generator, though the diagram shows them as connected components; this is primarily a content issue, while the surrounding sentence structure is also awkward. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions and use controlled clauses to explain the sequence, checking articles, agreement, and punctuation.

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