Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-19

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 here shows how the electricity is generated by hydropower plant station.

Diagram shows that there is a set up of hydropower plant near the river. Connecting the river there is a high level reservoir where the water is stored during the night and water flows through it during the day time. There is a Dam built beside reservoir which controls the flow of water. The Dam opens during day time and water flows with very high speed and passes through Reversible turbine thus, generating the electricity. There is a Generator attach to the turbine which is operated by the electricity generated and also carries the electricity generated by turbine is then passes by power lines and flows through National Grid. There is a low level reservoir built near the power station. During the night time the amount of water is stored in the low level reservoir which get pumped back to the high level reservoir by the same reversible turbine . When the flow of water get reverse and the high level of reservoir gets filled with the remaning amount of water then the dam get close. This is how the electricity is generated by hydropower plant station.

In conclusion, the electricity generated by flowing river is a green and renewable source of energy which is good for the environment and thus a well developed infrastructure need to be built for this.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main operating cycle: water moves from the high-level reservoir through the turbines to generate electricity during the day, and is pumped back at night. You also identify the generator, power lines, national grid and low-level reservoir, so the response addresses the process rather than merely describing the equipment. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the intake, not the dam itself, is labelled as open by day and closed at night, and the diagram does not say that water is stored in the high-level reservoir specifically during the night or that the dam closes when it is full. The final comments about environmental benefits and infrastructure are not shown in the diagram. A more precise overview and closer reporting of the labelled stages would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a broadly understandable sequence, moving from the river and upper reservoir through electricity generation to the night-time pumping cycle. The separate concluding paragraph also gives the text a recognisable structure. However, most of the process is packed into one long paragraph, and several links between ideas are awkward or unclear, particularly the sentence beginning “There is a Generator attach to the turbine.” Repeated use of “There is” and “During” makes the progression feel mechanical, while “In conclusion” introduces an opinion rather than a final process stage. Use distinct paragraphs for the overview, daytime operation and night-time return, and connect stages with precise sequencing language such as “Next” and “At night.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “high level reservoir,” “Reversible turbine,” “Generator,” “power lines” and “National Grid,” which helps identify the main components. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “controls the flow” and “pumped back.” However, some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “hydropower plant station” is redundant, “water flows with very high speed” is an awkward collocation, and “the amount of water is stored” does not clearly describe the water’s movement. Spelling and word-form slips such as “remaning” and “set up” also reduce precision. Aim for concise, standard process terms and check spelling and collocations; for example, describe water as flowing “through the turbines” rather than using vague or embellished phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “During the night time” and a conditional-style sequence with “When the flow of water get reverse.” This shows some range, but control is uneven, and several errors make relationships between components difficult to follow. Examples include “There is a Generator attach,” “the electricity generated … is then passes,” and “the dam get close,” where verb forms and agreement are faulty. Some sentences also run together, especially the long description of the generator and power lines, with punctuation that does not clearly separate clauses. Practise accurate passive forms (“is attached,” “is passed”) and subject–verb agreement, and divide long sentences into shorter, complete statements.

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