Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-21

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 below illustrates the process of how elecricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.

Overall, the method is combined with different klinds of procedures including reserving of water in a reservior and make a artificial flow through dam then some mechanical process which produces electricity and supply to naional grid.

At the beggining huge quanity of water is reserved in a reservior and there is a dam which work as deterrent for the water flow , in the day through intake flow of water go towards the generator to generate electricity.

Furthermore, generator has a reversible turbines which operate this in the day time and in the night it pumps water towards the high level reservior from the low level reservior. By this mechanism the machine generates electricity. After that it supplies to the power lines and then reached to national grid .

To conclude, the process of generating electricity elvolves natural process and and mechanical process as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main stages and give an overview that the process combines water storage with mechanical generation and supplies electricity to the national grid. The account also includes the important day/night distinction: water flows towards the turbines during the day, while the turbines pump it back to the high-level reservoir at night. However, some details are unclear or incomplete. For example, the generator is described as having turbines, rather than being connected to them, and the route from the low-level reservoir back to the upper reservoir could be explained more precisely. The conclusion repeats the overview instead of adding useful process information. To strengthen the response, describe the sequence and the turbines’ reversible function more accurately and fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the process, and a concluding sentence. Sequencing expressions such as “At the beginning,” “Furthermore,” and “After that” help the reader follow the stages. The overall progression is understandable, but some links are mechanical or imprecise. “By this mechanism” does not clearly identify which stage it refers to, and the final “To conclude” repeats the overview rather than advancing the description. The long process paragraph also combines several stages that would be clearer if grouped into daytime generation and nighttime pumping. Use paragraphing and references that make the two operating cycles distinct, and avoid repeating the same general point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “intake,” “reversible turbines,” “power lines,” and “national grid,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several word-choice or spelling problems reduce precision: “reserving of water” is not a natural description of storage, “deterrent” does not accurately describe the dam’s function, and “supply to national grid” is awkward. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “elecricity,” “klinds,” “beggining,” and “elvolves.” These do not make the whole account impossible to understand, but they weaken clarity and control. Practise accurate spelling of key technical terms and choose standard process collocations such as “store water” and “transmit electricity.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “which” and “when,” and the main process can generally be understood. However, errors in sentence structure and grammatical control occur throughout. For example, “the method is combined with different … procedures” is awkwardly constructed, while “a reversible turbines” has an article and number mismatch. In “in the day through intake flow of water go towards the generator,” the word order and subject–verb agreement are unclear. The sentence beginning “Furthermore” also joins ideas without a clear grammatical relationship. Work on articles, singular and plural agreement, and complete clause structure; then check each sentence to ensure its subject and verb are easy to identify.

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