Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

So the topic is how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station . So the diagram shows that there is a high level reservoir which is open in day and closed in night time . When the lot of water comes into the dam then a large flow of water generate electricity during day time . Then there is a power station which has generator that produce power lines then these power lines produce National grid . There is a reversible turbines that operate generator in day time , and pump water into high-level reservoir in night time . In day time there is a low level reservoir . At night generater runs water flow during pumping at night . so in this process dams plays an important role to produce electricity . Water from river enter into the Dams. So in this way electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the general subject and mention several relevant components, including the reservoirs, dam, reversible turbines, generator and national grid. However, the account only partially explains the process and contains important inaccuracies: the high-level reservoir is not described as opening and closing; it is the intake that is open by day and closed at night. The day-time flow to the turbines and the return of water to the low-level reservoir are also unclear, while the night-time pumping cycle is only briefly mentioned. The overview does not clearly summarise the system’s two-way operation. The response is 137 words, below the required 150, and this limits the detail available. Explain the stages in order and distinguish the day and night cycles accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response includes a basic sequence, moving from the reservoir and dam to the power station, generator and national grid, and it refers to both daytime and nighttime operation. However, ideas are mostly presented as one continuous paragraph, with repeated openings such as “So” and “Then” rather than clear stages. Some links between steps are difficult to follow: for example, “At night generater runs water flow during pumping at night” does not clearly connect the low-level reservoir, turbines and high-level reservoir. The repeated concluding statements also interrupt progression. Organise the description into an introduction and overview, followed by a clear account of daytime generation and nighttime pumping, using precise references to connect each stage.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “high-level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “generator,” “power lines” and “National grid,” so the reader can recognise the subject. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or repetitive, such as “large flow of water generate electricity” and “produce power lines.” Some word forms and spelling are also inaccurate, including “generater” and “Dams.” Aim for more exact process language and avoid repeating “produce” and “water.” For example, describe water as flowing through the turbines, electricity as being transmitted to the national grid, and water as being pumped back to the upper reservoir. This would make the account clearer and more appropriate to an academic process description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe a sequence using simple clauses and some linking structures, but grammatical control is inconsistent and sentence patterns are repetitive. Errors in agreement and verb forms occur in phrases such as “a large flow of water generate electricity” and “generator that produce power lines.” Articles and sentence construction are also problematic in “there is a reversible turbines,” while punctuation and spacing around full stops are inconsistent. These errors sometimes make the process difficult to interpret, particularly in the sentence about nighttime pumping. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, singular and plural forms, and complete sentence boundaries. Then combine simple statements with controlled passive forms, such as “Water is directed through the turbines,” to describe the stages more clearly.

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