Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-24

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)

basically electricity is genrated with the help of the water and the water is transfered from river to dams. water from dams are flown with presure to the during day time to the power station not in night because it is closed in night time due security reasons . In power station genator genrate the electricity and transfer it to the power line and national grid this how electricity genrated . In night time low level reservoir pumped out through generator and it pump out all the low level reservoir out the it flow out this thing happend in night time . basicaly all high level reservoir pump in in day time to generate electricity and genratour seprate all low level reservoir and strore it and in night time it pump out all the low level resrvoir with the help of generator and all usfull reservoir transfer to the power line thats how electricity generated.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion3.5
Lexical Resource4.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main purpose of the diagram and mention several relevant components, including the river, reservoirs, power station, generator and national grid. You also recognise that the process changes between day and night. However, the account only partially reports how the system works, and some key details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the intake is closed at night, but you attribute this to “security reasons,” which the diagram does not state. The night-time process is also misrepresented: water is pumped from the low-level reservoir back to the high-level reservoir through the reversible turbines, rather than being pumped out through the generator or sent to power lines. A clearer overview and accurate description of both cycles would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response contains a basic sequence of ideas: water reaches the station, electricity is generated and sent to the grid, and the night-time cycle is then discussed. This gives the reader some sense of the topic. However, the information is presented as one long, repetitive paragraph, with no clear separation between the daytime and night-time stages. Connections such as “this how” and “and” do not reliably show how one stage relates to another, while repeated references to reservoirs make the progression difficult to follow. Organise the report into a brief overview and separate descriptions of the two operating cycles. Use clear sequencing and contrast markers, such as “During the day” and “At night,” and ensure each sentence advances the process.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “power station,” “generator,” “power line” and “national grid,” so the reader can identify the subject. However, the range is limited and several words or phrases are repeated, particularly “generate electricity,” “low level reservoir” and “pump out.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram: “water … are flown with pressure” and “all useful reservoir transfer” do not clearly describe the movement of water. Spelling errors such as “genrated,” “presure,” “genratour” and “resrvoir” also make the account harder to read. Build a more precise set of process terms, including “flows,” “is channelled,” “is pumped back” and “reversible turbines,” and check spelling and word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example, “In power station genator genrate the electricity and transfer it to the power line and national grid.” However, sentence structures are limited, and errors in agreement, articles, verb forms and punctuation occur frequently. Examples include “water from dams are,” “generator genrate,” and “it pump out,” where the subject and verb do not agree or the verb form is incorrect. Several sentences run together without full stops, making relationships between clauses unclear; the opening also contains a confusing construction around “to the during day time.” Use shorter, complete sentences first, with a clear subject and verb, then add controlled clauses to explain the sequence. Check articles and agreement, such as “the water flows” and “the generator produces electricity.”

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