Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-20

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 provided diagram below illustrates the information of how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, it is evident that the process of generating electricity has four major stages and the main factor of generating electricity is water.

The procedure of generating electricity starts from the flowing water which reach the dam. The dam is open at day time and closed at night time. Two major steps are perform in day and night. On one hand, the dam release the water to generate electricity at day. On the other hand, the dam pump the flow of water at night time. In addition, these both process happens in between Dam and Power Station.

The Power Station play a vital role in this process because the electricity is generated in the power station. The power station supplies electricity through power lines to national grid and nation grid supplies the electricity all over the areas and this happens at day time whereas, at night time low level reservoir collects the supply back. Therefore, Dam plays a significant role more than Power Station because water is the major factor to produce electricity and Dam supplies the flow of water to power station to generate electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the central subject and give an overview that water drives the process, then distinguish daytime generation from nighttime pumping. However, the account only partially describes the actual sequence and includes important inaccuracies: the intake, not the dam itself, is open by day and closed at night; water flows from the high-level reservoir through the turbines to the low-level reservoir during generation; and at night it is pumped back uphill. The claim that the low-level reservoir “collects the supply back” is unclear, and the diagram does not show the national grid distributing electricity “all over the areas.” The four-stage overview is also not explained. Describe the two operating cycles accurately and avoid unsupported conclusions such as the dam being more significant than the power station.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has separate paragraphs and uses signposts such as “Overall,” “On one hand,” and “On the other hand,” so the reader can recognise an introduction, overview, and some day/night contrast. However, the progression through the process is not consistently clear: the description moves from the dam to the power station, then to the grid and reservoir without tracing the water’s route in order. Several links are also awkward or repetitive, including “In addition” and “Therefore,” which introduce ideas rather than clarify the sequence. Organise the body around the daytime cycle followed by the nighttime cycle, using clear references to the high- and low-level reservoirs, turbines, and generator. This would make the relationships between stages easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “hydroelectric power station,” “generator,” “power lines,” and “national grid,” and terms such as “day time” and “night time” help distinguish the operating modes. However, the range is limited and some word choices are imprecise or repetitive. For example, “the dam release the water” assigns the action to the wrong component, while “collects the supply back” does not clearly describe water returning to the upper reservoir. “The information of how” and “all over the areas” are also unnatural expressions. Use precise labels from the diagram and vary repeated references to “water” and “process.” More accurate process collocations would improve clarity and show better control of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, including a contrast between daytime and nighttime operation. However, errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “water which reach the dam,” “Two major steps are perform,” “The Power Station play,” and “the dam pump the flow.” The long final sentence also joins several ideas with “and” and “whereas,” making the relationship between electricity distribution and water storage unclear. Practise subject–verb agreement and passive forms, and use shorter, controlled sentences to explain each stage. For example, distinguish the generator’s output from the water’s movement rather than combining both in one sentence.

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