Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-01

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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of production of electricity in hydroelectric power station.

Overall, this figure depicts two main phases of water movement.One for daytime and second is for night time. In daytime, water flows from high level reservoir to low level reservoir by passing through generator to generate electricity. While, in night time water is pumped from low level surface to high level surface by using a pump.

During day hours, water flow starts from river towards dam, which is high level water reservoir. Dam remain opened in day. From dam water moves to power station,which acts as generator in daylight, and ultimately water reaches low surface level.

In night time, water is flowed in opposite direction by using pump. Water starts moving from low level reservoir and enters power station.In dark, turbines of power station works as pump and make water to move from low surface towards dam.Dam intake become enclosed at night.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the diagram as a two-stage cycle and give a relevant overview of the daytime and nighttime movement of water. The response also includes key features such as the high- and low-level reservoirs, the turbines, and the intake being closed at night. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the dam does not itself open and close; it is the intake that is open by day and closed at night. The generator produces electricity, while water passes through the reversible turbines, so saying water passes “through generator” and that the power station “acts as generator” blurs the process. To make the account more complete and precise, explain that daytime electricity is sent via power lines to the national grid, and distinguish the turbines’ two functions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of daytime and nighttime operation. This makes the main cycle easy to follow, and phrases such as “In daytime” and “In night time” signal the stages. Cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear, however. “While” begins a sentence fragment, and “From dam water moves to power station” does not clearly show the sequence or the relationship between the water and the equipment. There are also awkward transitions between the overview and the detailed account. Use a consistent sequence of stages and link them with precise connectors such as “then,” “after passing through,” and “whereas,” while ensuring each sentence has a clear subject.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “turbines,” “generator,” “pumped,” and “opposite direction,” which helps communicate the main stages. Some word choices and collocations are imprecise, though: “low level surface” is not an accurate name for the low-level reservoir, and “Dam remain opened” confuses the dam with its intake. “Water is flowed” is also an unnatural expression, while “in dark” is not an appropriate way to describe nighttime in this process. Aim for consistent technical terms from the diagram and natural process language. For example, describe water as flowing through the turbines and state that the intake is closed at night. These refinements would make the account more precise without requiring a much wider vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast between daytime and nighttime operation, and the overall meaning is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries. Examples include “Dam remain opened,” “turbines … works,” and “water is flowed”; these should use appropriate agreement and active verb forms. The sentence beginning “While, in night time…” is incomplete, and punctuation is inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops in places such as “movement.One” and “station.In.” To improve, check subject–verb agreement and use complete clauses—for instance, join the contrast with “whereas” rather than starting a fragment. More accurate control of these patterns would strengthen the otherwise clear description.

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