Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-16

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 illustrates how the hydroelectric power station is generated electricity.

Overall, two way process are occured in hydroelectric power station.

First, the water is reserved in the high-level reservoir from the river. The dam holds back the water. The intake is opened during the day then the water is flowed through the intake and to the turbine. Subsecuently, the water is gone to the low-level of reservoir. Turbine is connected with the generator in the power station. The water is reached to the national grid through power lines to fulfill nation's demand. From national grid the water is again send to the low-level reservoire to continue the process.

At night, the process is reversed to make sure that high-level reservoir has plenty water for next day. So that it is generated electricity and fulfill people's need. By using turbine, the water is pumped from low-level reservoire to high level reservoire.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main day/night cycle and mention the high-level reservoir, dam, intake, turbines, generator and low-level reservoir, so the response is relevant and includes several key stages. However, some important details are unclear or inaccurate: electricity travels from the generator through power lines to the national grid, not water, and the low-level reservoir does not receive water from the grid. The overview, “two way process,” is too general to explain the contrast between daytime generation and nighttime pumping. The night cycle is also only briefly described, while the daytime sequence needs clearer explanation of how water passes through the turbines and returns to the lower reservoir. A more precise overview and accurate account of both cycles would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an overview followed by a description of the daytime process and then the nighttime reversal. Sequencing words such as “First,” “Subsequently” and “At night” help the reader follow the intended order. However, progression is weakened by unclear links and references. For example, “From national grid the water is again send to the low-level reservoire” introduces a mistaken connection that disrupts the process description. The overview is also very brief and does not clearly guide the reader through the two stages. Group the daytime flow and electricity generation together, then explain the reverse nighttime flow in a separate, clearly linked paragraph. Use connectors to show sequence and contrast accurately rather than relying on them alone.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “intake,” “turbine,” “generator” and “power lines,” which helps identify the diagram’s components. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate enough to make parts of the process difficult to understand. “The water is reserved” is not the natural expression for water being held in a reservoir, and “the water is flowed” is an awkward construction. The phrase “the water is reached to the national grid” also confuses the movement of water with electricity. Spelling errors such as “Subsecuently” and “reser voire” further reduce precision. Practise standard process verbs and accurate collocations for describing movement, storage and electricity transmission.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few longer structures, including “At night, the process is reversed to make sure that…” and “The intake is opened during the day then…,” but most sentences rely on simple patterns, and errors occur frequently. Subject–verb agreement is incorrect in “two way process are occured,” while passive forms are faulty in “the water is flowed” and “the water is again send.” There are also problems with articles, plurals and sentence construction, as in “Turbine is connected with the generator” and “So that it is generated electricity.” These errors sometimes make the intended relationships unclear. Build accuracy first with clear present-simple and passive forms, for example, “Water flows through the turbines” and “The turbines pump water back at night,” then add more varied sentence structures.

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