Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

In this diagram hydroelectric power station is shown.

It shows the main features of the hydroelectric power station.

when the water from the river came it hits with the dam wall and high-level reservoir. The intake of the water is open in the day and it also close in the night. Then water flows through the pipe towards the generator and hits the reversible turbines with full force. The force produce by water flow in turbines are the reason of producing electricity. After hitting the turbines water moves towards the low-level reservoir through the pipe. The electricity produce by generator moves towards the head of the generator. The electricity goes towards the national grid through the power lines. The electricity produce by the station is known as hydroelectric power station. This station use the power of the water and force which is used to create electricity. This station is used world wide to produce Electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the main subject and describe several relevant stages: water passes from the high-level reservoir through the intake and turbines, then reaches the low-level reservoir, while electricity is sent to the national grid. However, the account is incomplete and includes inaccurate or unsupported details. The diagram’s key feature is the station’s two-way operation: water flows downhill to generate electricity during the day, then is pumped back uphill at night. This night-time cycle is omitted, and the claim that water “hits with the dam wall” misrepresents the process. The overview is also vague and repetitive rather than summarising the day/night cycle. To improve, report both operating modes accurately and focus on the diagram rather than general claims about worldwide use or what the station is called.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows a broadly chronological route through the daytime process, and words such as “Then,” “After,” and “through” help connect some stages. However, the ideas are not arranged into a clear overview followed by a well-organised process description. The opening repeats the task statement, while the final sentences repeat that the station produces electricity without adding useful information. Connections between stages are sometimes unclear—for example, “The electricity produce by generator moves towards the head of the generator” interrupts the sequence and does not match the diagram. There is also no organised account of the night-time return flow. Group the information into an overview and a sequence of stages, using clear references to distinguish water movement from electricity transmission.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “intake,” “reversible turbines,” “low-level reservoir,” and “national grid,” which makes the topic recognisable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or repetitive. “Hits with the dam wall” does not describe the water’s route accurately, and “with full force” is an unsupported, informal description. “The head of the generator” is not an appropriate term for the electricity’s destination. Repeated use of “produce” and “power” also limits precision. Aim for standard process collocations such as water “flows through” a conduit, turbines “drive” a generator, and electricity is “transmitted to” the grid. Check word forms and spelling, including “worldwide.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most sentences use simple structures, and the reader can generally follow the intended daytime sequence. However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Examples include “when the water from the river came it hits,” which mixes tenses and lacks clear punctuation, and “The force produce by water flow in turbines are the reason,” where the verb form and subject–verb agreement are faulty. “The electricity produce by generator” also has errors in the participle and article use. Sentence openings and capitalisation are inconsistent, as in the lowercase “when” after a full stop. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions of processes, checking agreement and articles, and use a wider range of sentence patterns only when you can control them.

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