Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-18

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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the process that how the electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, the illusion demostrates the stages in which the electricity is generated. Initially the water in the river reaches the higher level reservoir, which allow the flow of water during day time for electricity production. The reversible turbines operate generator during day time while at night time the water is push back to the high level reservoir.

when water is stored in high level reservoir, during day time the intake is open which allow the flow of water to power station. there is a big generater and power lines which is furthur goes to the national grid.

on the other hand, there is reversible turbines which allow water during day time to pass through generator and stored in the low level reservoir. At night time, reversible turbines push back water into the high level reservoir.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main day/night cycle and include relevant stages: water moves from the high-level reservoir through the station to the low-level reservoir by day, while the turbines pump it back at night. However, the overview is vague and repeats that electricity is generated without clearly summarising the system’s two-way operation. Some details are incomplete or unclear, such as how the generator connects to the national grid and the intake being closed at night. The response is also 143 words, below the required 150, so it does not fully meet the task’s length requirement. Add a concise overview and a few accurate details about the intake, generator, and return flow to develop the account more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response has an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, and it broadly follows the process from the reservoir to the station and back. However, progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph begins with the daytime intake, while the final paragraph returns to daytime movement before switching to night. This creates repetition and makes the sequence harder to follow. Linking phrases such as “on the other hand” do not clearly signal a contrast between the two operating modes, and references such as “there is reversible turbines” are awkward to track. Organise the body in a clear day-then-night sequence, and use transitions that explicitly mark each stage and mode.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “intake,” “reversible turbines,” “power station,” and “national grid,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, spelling, or collocation errors reduce precision: “illusion” is not the intended word, “higher level reservoir” is less accurate than “high-level reservoir,” and “water is push back” does not express the process naturally. “Big generator” is also informal and imprecise for a technical description. Use accurate process terms consistently and check spelling. More precise verbs such as “flows,” “drives,” and “is pumped back” would make the stages clearer without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “when water is stored” and a contrast introduced by “while.” However, control is uneven, and errors in sentence structure, verb forms, and agreement occur repeatedly. For example, “the process that how” combines two incompatible structures, “which allow” does not agree with “water,” and “water is push back” has an incorrect passive verb form. There are also problems with articles and plurals in “there is reversible turbines.” These errors sometimes make the process difficult to follow. Practise accurate passive constructions (“water is pumped back”) and subject–verb agreement, then proofread each sentence for complete, correctly formed clauses.

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