Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-22

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)

The daigram shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectrc power station. According to the process it is started from river where water come and enterd in to the Dam in this stage 2 methods follow based on day and night. In night intake is closed because in night time flow of water pumpin however, In day time intake is open and flow of water released which help to generate electricity .

After countinue process water enter to the low-level reservoir, in this stage generatore take water quantity which is required for generated electricity.

Reversible turbines play imprtant role in that stage.In day time when water required for a generated electricity turbines help to control water quantity and flow for generated electricity after that generator used to maintane process and then power lines created after that process final stage is national grid where electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the process as hydroelectric generation and mention the day/night distinction, the intake, turbines, generator and national grid. However, the account is incomplete and includes important inaccuracies: it says water enters the dam, and suggests the generator takes water, whereas water passes through reversible turbines and the generator is driven by them. The key night-time cycle—water moving from the low-level reservoir back to the high-level reservoir by pumping—is not clearly explained. There is also no concise overview of the two operating modes. The response is 143 words, below the required 150, and the eight words copied from the prompt were not counted. To improve, describe the full cycle accurately and include a clear overview before the stages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to order the explanation, moving from the river and intake to the reservoir, turbines and grid. The contrast between night and day also gives the reader a starting point for understanding the process. However, the sequence is difficult to follow because the stages are not separated into clear paragraphs, and several ideas are joined in long, loosely connected sentences. Repeated links such as “after that” do not always show the actual order, while “In night” and “In day time” are repeated without a clear structure. Organise the response into an overview and a chronological description, then use precise links such as “During the day” and “At night” to distinguish the two cycles.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “intake,” “low-level reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “generator” and “power lines.” These terms show an attempt to describe the diagram rather than relying entirely on general language. However, vocabulary is often repetitive or imprecise: “process” and “generated electricity” recur, and phrases such as “generator take water quantity” make the intended meaning unclear. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “daigram,” “hydroelectrc,” “generatore” and “imprtant.” Use accurate process verbs and check spelling carefully; for example, explain that water flows through the turbines and that the generator produces electricity. This would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences and use time clauses to contrast daytime and night-time operation. However, sentence structures are often faulty, and errors frequently make relationships between stages difficult to understand. Examples include “water come and enterd,” “intake is closed because in night time flow of water pumpin,” and “generator used to maintane process.” These contain problems with verb forms, tense, articles and sentence construction. Punctuation and spacing are also inconsistent, with several clauses joined without clear boundaries. Practise writing short, complete sentences first, then combine them using accurate clauses—for example, “At night, the intake is closed, and the turbines pump water back to the upper reservoir.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.