Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-28

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)

The diagram illustrates how electricity is generated in hydroelectric power station.

Overall, there is 8 stages to make electricity from dam and river.

Firstly, they made a dam for carring water. water comes from river in store in a dam then the dam open in day and then the water flow to generate electricity and next reversible turbines opreate generator low level reservoir.

Secondly, in night the dam were closed the water flow during night and generator pump water into high level reservior then power lines mean national grid.the power station avilable and increase elecritcity to the city dam carry water and all process take 8 stages to make elecritcity and provide to the homes

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and attempt to describe both daytime generation and nighttime pumping, which are central features of the diagram. However, the account is only partial and contains important inaccuracies: the generator does not pump water; the reversible turbines pump it back to the high-level reservoir at night. The intake is open by day and closed at night, but this distinction is not clearly explained. The overview that there are “8 stages” is not a useful summary of the process’s main feature, which is its two-way day/night cycle. You also add unsupported claims about electricity being supplied to homes or the city. The response is 115 words, below the required 150, so the process is not described in enough detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic structure, with an opening, an overview, and paragraphs beginning “Firstly” and “Secondly.” These markers show an attempt to organise the stages in sequence. However, progression is difficult to follow because several steps are compressed into long, loosely connected strings, such as “water flow to generate electricity and next reversible turbines opreate generator low level reservoir.” The night-time paragraph also shifts abruptly between the dam, generator, power lines, and the city, making the relationships unclear. Use separate sentences for each stage and connect them with accurate sequencing and contrast, such as “During the day” and “At night.” Clearer paragraphing around the two operating modes would make the process easier to understand.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “dam,” “river,” “reversible turbines,” “power lines,” and “national grid,” so the reader can recognise the general topic. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms make the description unclear: “the dam open” confuses the dam with the intake, while “generator pump water” assigns the action to the wrong component. Spelling errors such as “carring,” “opreate,” “reservior,” and “elecritcity” are noticeable, and phrases such as “the power station avilable” are difficult to interpret. Aim for precise process verbs and check spelling; for example, distinguish water being released from water being pumped back.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the use of “Firstly” and “Secondly” gives some structure to the explanation. However, sentence forms are often faulty, and errors frequently make the sequence or relationships hard to follow. For example, “there is 8 stages” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, while “water comes from river in store in a dam” lacks a clear grammatical structure. Tense and agreement are also inconsistent in “the dam open” and “the dam were closed.” Several ideas are joined without effective punctuation, particularly in the final paragraph. Practise writing one complete sentence for each stage, checking articles, verb forms, agreement, and sentence boundaries.

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

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