Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustration represents the technical process of electricity generation which takes place in a hydroelectric power station.

The overall process consists of mainly four steps which begins with water flowing from the high-level reservoir and ends with power generation through reversible turbines at day. It is to be noted that, the procedure is basically two ways as the water is supplied back to it's initial storage at night.

Firstly, the water from river is kept at high altitude reservoir with the help of a dam. Water flows beneath the dam with the purpose of electricity generation when the intake is opened at day. In next step, the water flown under dam then goes to power station where reversible turbines run the generator at daytime to produce the electricity. The electricity produced then supplied to national grid through power line.

In a reversible process, water contained in low-level reservoir is sent upward to the high level reservoir at night. Reversible turbines pump the water which ultimately move upward to initial storage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main operating cycle and give an overview that identifies daytime generation and the return of water at night. The account correctly mentions the river, dam, daytime intake, turbines, generator, power lines and national grid, and it recognises that the process is reversible. This is a relevant, generally clear summary, but some features are less fully reported: for example, the low-level reservoir is only introduced in the final paragraph, and the role of the water flowing from the turbines into it during the day is not clearly explained. The overview’s claim that there are “mainly four steps” is also not a useful summary of the cycle. To strengthen the response, describe the two operating modes more precisely and show how the reservoirs connect them.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by the daytime sequence and then the nighttime pumping cycle. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly” and “In next step” help the reader follow the process, and the final paragraph signals the return to the starting reservoir. However, some links are mechanical, and the reference in “the water flown under dam then goes to power station” is not fully clear. The overview also says the process has four steps, while the body does not organise the information into four identifiable stages. Use more precise links between each stage—for instance, explain that water passes through the turbines into the low-level reservoir by day, then reverses direction at night.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “generator,” “intake” and “national grid.” These terms make the subject clear, and “initial storage” is an attempt to avoid repetition. Some word choices and collocations are less natural or precise, however: “water is kept at high altitude reservoir,” “water flown under dam,” and “the procedure is basically two ways” do not express the process idiomatically. “Power line” would also be more natural as “power lines” in this context. The meaning remains understandable, which fits an adequate range, but greater control of standard process language would improve precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including the overview sentence beginning “It is to be noted that” and the conditional timing detail “when the intake is opened at day.” The sequence is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “The overall process consists of mainly four steps which begins” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “the water from river” and “at day” show article and preposition errors. In “the water flown under dam then goes,” the verb form is also incorrect; use “water flowing beneath the dam.” There are punctuation issues too, such as the unnecessary comma after “noted that.” More accurate articles, verb forms and sentence boundaries would make the range you attempt more effective.

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