Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-12

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 diagram illustrates the production of electricity in the hydroelectric power station.

The change in direcrion in the flow of water controlled by the dam and reversible turbines is used to generate electricity. The flow of water is towards the power station in the day and away in the night.

During the day, water from the river is directed into the high-level reservoir. limited by the dam that allows the water to reach the reversible turbines. In the day-time, the turbines operate the generator, producing electricity. The same water is then stored in a low-level reservoir. The generated power is supplied to the national grid via power lines.

The water stored in the low-level reservoir is pumped back to the high-level reservoir bu the turbines in the night time.The flow of water now follows the opposite direction. The dam remains closed in the night, preventing water from flowing towards the power station.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers the main operating cycle and gives a clear overview of the key contrast: water flows towards the power station by day and is pumped back at night. It also correctly identifies the generator, power lines, national grid, and the two reservoirs. This is a solid account of the process, with the day and night stages both represented. Some details are less fully or clearly explained, however: the sentence about water being “directed into the high-level reservoir” does not make clear that the river feeds it, and the role of the intake—open by day and closed at night—is only mentioned indirectly through the dam. More precise reporting of these labelled stages would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information is arranged in a sensible sequence: an overview is followed by the daytime process and then the nighttime return cycle. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and transitions such as “During the day” and “The water stored in the low-level reservoir” guide the reader. Cohesion is not always smooth, though. The overview repeats the directional contrast that is then explained in detail, while the sentence beginning “During the day” contains a confusing break after “reservoir,” making the relationship between the dam and the turbines harder to follow. The final two sentences also repeat the idea that the flow reverses. Clearer links between stages and less repetition would improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for describing this process, and terms such as “high-level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “generator,” and “national grid” are relevant and generally precise. The writer also attempts process language such as “directed,” “stored,” and “supplied.” However, some choices are imprecise or awkward: “the change in direction in the flow” is less natural than “the reversal of water flow,” and “the dam … allows the water to reach” does not accurately express the intake’s role. There are also spelling slips in “direcrion” and “bu.” These do not prevent understanding, but more accurate collocations and careful proofreading would make the description more fluent and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex forms, including a relative clause in “the dam that allows the water to reach the reversible turbines” and a passive construction in “The generated power is supplied.” Most of the process remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems are present. For example, “During the day, water from the river is directed into the high-level reservoir. limited by the dam” is an incomplete and incorrectly punctuated construction; the lowercase “limited” should be connected to a complete sentence. There is also missing spacing after the full stop in “night time.The flow.” More controlled sentence boundaries and accurate clause construction would strengthen the writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.