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 diagram shows how electricity can be generated in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, generation of electricity start from a river to a high level reservoir dam leading, this occurs during the day while the flow of water during pumping occurs at night.

Generation of electricity starts from an inlet of a river which is reserved on high level. During the day, dam is formed from an high level reservior leading to flow of water to generate electricity. Futhermore, a reversible turbines is used to operate the generator in the power station, which help to power lines to the national grid.

With regard to night intake, low level reserved water used during the day is taken back through the flow of water during pumping which mostly occurs at night into the high level reservoir.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the central process and include the key day/night contrast: water flows down to generate electricity during the day, while pumping returns it to the high-level reservoir at night. You also mention the generator, power lines and national grid. However, several stages are unclear or inaccurately described. For example, “a dam is formed from an high level reservoir” does not explain that the dam holds the reservoir, and the intake’s daytime-open/nighttime-closed operation is not clearly reported. The account also gives little detail about the low-level reservoir and the turbines’ reversible role. The response is 16 words below the required minimum, which limits the development of the process. Add a clearer overview and explain the complete cycle in sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs describing the daytime and nighttime processes. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “During the day” and “With regard to night” signal the time contrast. However, progression is weakened by unclear links between stages. The overview’s phrase “start from a river to a high level reservoir dam leading” is difficult to follow, while “With regard to night intake” does not clearly connect the low-level reservoir to the pumping cycle. Some linking words, including “Furthermore,” join details without clarifying their relationship. Use a more consistent sequence—reservoir, intake, turbines, generator and grid, then return flow—and make each reference explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “reversible turbines,” “generator,” “power lines,” “national grid” and “flow of water during pumping.” These terms show an attempt to describe the diagram specifically. However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or imprecise, sometimes making the process hard to understand. “An inlet of a river which is reserved on high level” does not naturally describe water being stored in a reservoir, and “a dam is formed from” misrepresents the relationship between the dam and reservoir. There are also spelling errors in “reservior” and “Futhermore,” and “reserved water” is used where “stored water” is intended. Build accuracy with standard process terms such as “intake,” “reservoir,” “channel” and “is stored.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which help to power lines to the national grid” and a time contrast between day and night. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes obscure the intended relationships. The opening overview has faulty structure: “generation of electricity start from a river to a high level reservoir dam leading.” There are also agreement and article errors in “a reversible turbines” and “which help,” as well as awkward passive constructions such as “is taken back … into the high level reservoir.” Use complete clauses with clear subjects and verbs, check singular/plural agreement and articles, and vary sentence patterns only when the relationships between stages remain clear.

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