Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

In hydroelectric powerstation, the electricity is generated starting with a river. Firstly, there is a dam and during the day time the flow of water through the dam generate electricity in a power station where it is meant to go and then there are power ines and national grid where the electricity is generated. All of this is happening during the day time. During day time, there is a high level reservoir and during night time the reservoir is low level. During day time the reversible turbines operate generator and during night time it pump water into high level reservoir and the intake of water is closed durig the night and opens durng the day time to generate electricity again. AT night the reversible turbines just pumps water into high level reservoir to stop generaing elecricity. and during day time all the process of generating electricity in a hydroelectric power station starts again

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main subject and mention several relevant stages, including the daytime operation of the turbines, the intake closing at night, and water being pumped back to the high-level reservoir. However, the process is only partially described: the river feeding the upper reservoir, the route through the turbines to the lower reservoir, and the generator’s connection to the national grid are not explained clearly. The account also lacks a distinct overview of the system’s two-way cycle. Some statements are unclear or inaccurate, such as saying the water flow “through the dam” generates electricity and that the low-level reservoir is low only at night. To improve, summarise the day/night cycle accurately, then describe the water’s route and electricity output in sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows a broad time-based order, moving from daytime generation to nighttime pumping, and words such as “Firstly,” “During day time,” and “During night time” help signal the stages. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the ideas are packed into one paragraph and several points are repeated, especially that the turbines pump water at night and generation starts again during the day. Connections between stages are also unclear: the route from the upper reservoir through the station to the lower reservoir is not presented as a continuous sequence. Organise the response into an introduction/overview and a paragraph for each operating phase, using concise links such as “In contrast, at night” and clear references to each reservoir.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “intake,” “power station,” and “national grid,” so the reader can recognise the topic. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or repeated, such as “during day time” and “generate electricity.” Some word choices make the process harder to understand: “the flow of water through the dam” does not accurately describe the route, and “where it is meant to go” is vague. Spelling errors, including “power ines,” “durnig,” and “elecricity,” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise process terms and varied verbs, for example “flows through,” “drives,” “is channelled,” and “is pumped back.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example with “and” and “where,” but the structures are often faulty or difficult to follow. Errors include subject–verb agreement in “the flow of water … generate electricity” and “it pump water,” as well as inconsistent sentence construction in “there are power lines and national grid where the electricity is generated.” Articles and phrasing are also sometimes missing or unclear, and the final sentence joins several ideas without effective punctuation. Most sentences rely on simple patterns, with limited accurate control of more complex forms. Practise writing one clear sentence for each stage, checking subject–verb agreement and using accurate passive forms such as “water is pumped back” and “electricity is sent to the national grid.”

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