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 illustrate why making electricity for hydroelectric power station.

Overall the process consist of several stages. in beginning water flow in dam for storage of water after that flow of water during pumping and then water process in water in power station generate powerline to national gird and after this process water released.

At the first stage water that flow river store in Dam intake day open night close. that water flow from dam to power station in day flow of water generate electricity in nigh folw of water pumping the main stage of generating electricity is power station water process in day reversible turbine and in night pump water into high level reservoir process turbines generate power lines and Divert to national grid. and after the process water in day release to low level reservoir and in night move forward . its small and in detail process of water to make electricity in hydroelectric power station.

in conclusion first of all water store in dam the release from water in power station as needed in power station turbine make power line of electricity and after this process water release in low level reservoir

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main subject and describe several key stages, including water entering storage, passing through the power station, electricity reaching the national grid, and water moving to the low-level reservoir. You also mention the important day/night distinction. However, the account is only partly accurate and clear: the river feeds the high-level reservoir, while the dam controls the intake; at night, water is pumped from the low-level reservoir back to the high-level reservoir, rather than simply moving forward. The overview, especially “water flow in dam for storage,” does not clearly summarise the station’s two-way operating cycle. To strengthen the response, distinguish the daytime generation sequence from the nighttime pumping sequence and describe the reservoirs and intake precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an overall attempt at a beginning, overview, and process description, and it follows some of the diagram’s sequence. However, progression is difficult to follow because stages are combined in long, loosely connected sentences. For example, the third paragraph moves from the intake to daytime and nighttime flow, then to turbines, the grid, and the reservoirs without clearly separating the two operating cycles. Connectors such as “after that,” “and after this process,” and “in conclusion” are repeated, and some links do not show the actual relationship between stages. Use a clear paragraph for the overview, then one for daytime generation and one for nighttime pumping, with precise sequencing language.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “intake,” “reversible turbine,” “generator,” and “national grid,” which helps identify the main components. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the process hard to understand, such as “water process in water,” “make power line,” and “water released.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “gird,” “folw,” and “turbine” where the plural is needed. Aim for accurate, repeated process terms rather than vague phrases: describe water as flowing, being channelled, or being pumped, and electricity as being generated and transmitted. Check spelling of technical labels carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, but control is weak: many sentences contain errors that make relationships between stages difficult to interpret. Examples include “The Diagram illustrate,” “the process consist,” and “water that flow river store in Dam,” where subject–verb agreement, tense, articles, and sentence structure are not controlled. The long sentence beginning “that water flow from dam to power station” also shifts between day and night without clear grammatical boundaries. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including sentence openings such as “in beginning.” Build accurate short sentences first, using present simple passive forms where appropriate—for example, “Water is stored in the high-level reservoir”—then combine stages with correctly formed clauses.

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