Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-02

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)

This diagram illustrates that how eletricity is produced in hydroelectric power station.

Overall, It was noticed that the dam is closed during night. Whereas open during day. The flow of water to generate electricity, on the other hand, it was seen that flow of pumping of water in night.

Looking into details, During day time it was seen that river has high level reservior. In contrast, the reservior level is low in night. The flow of the water is use to generate electricity during day time. However, flow of the water is used during pumping.

MeanWhile, the water goes towards the power station, lastly it was shown that reversible turbines operate generator in the day. and in nught pump water at high level.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a hydroelectric process and mention the key day/night contrast: water generates electricity by day and is pumped back at night. However, the account is only partial and some details are unclear or inaccurate. The dam itself is not described as opening and closing; it is the intake that is open by day and closed at night. The response also omits important stages, including the generator sending electricity through power lines to the national grid, and the movement between the high- and low-level reservoirs. The overview is attempted but does not clearly summarise the complete cycle. The response is 27 words below the 150-word minimum, leaving too little space to report the main stages fully. Add a precise overview and explain the process in sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an identifiable structure, with an opening, an overview, and detail paragraphs, and it attempts to contrast daytime and nighttime operation using phrases such as “In contrast” and “However.” This gives the reader some sense of the two operating modes. However, progression is not consistently clear: “Meanwhile” introduces a point that does not develop the previous idea, and “lastly” does not accurately signal the final stage of the cycle. Several sentences repeat the day/night contrast without connecting the stages in a logical sequence. Some linking expressions are also awkwardly placed, as in “The flow of water to generate electricity, on the other hand, it was seen…” Organise the description from reservoir to intake, station, grid and return flow, using fewer, more precise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “reservoir,” “reversible turbines,” “power station,” and “generate electricity,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several words or phrases are repeated, especially “flow of water” and “during day time.” Spelling errors such as “eletricity,” “reservior,” and “nught” are noticeable and can make the reader pause. Some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, including “river has high level reservoir” and “flow of pumping of water.” Aim for accurate process collocations and distinguish the water’s direction and function clearly—for example, describe water as flowing through the turbines to generate electricity, then being pumped back to the upper reservoir.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few complex forms, including contrast clauses beginning “Whereas” and “However,” but the range is limited and these attempts are often faulty. For example, “This diagram illustrates that how…” incorrectly combines “that” and “how,” while “The flow of the water is use to generate electricity” has an incorrect verb form. Sentence fragments and punctuation problems also occur: “Whereas open during day” is incomplete, and “in the day. and in nught” incorrectly separates and punctuates connected ideas. Articles and tense choices are inconsistent, as in “river has high level reservior.” Use complete sentences with a consistent present simple tense, and check subject–verb structure, passive forms, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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