Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-04

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 5.5)

The diagram displays the various processes involved in generating electricity from river through a hydroelectric power station. It consists of a dam, a power station which consists of a generator, reversible turbines and power lines to pass the electricity.

At first, a dam is constructed to store the water and a small intake is made under the dam to pass the water to the water turbine. But at night the intake is closed. The flowing water rotates the turbine which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The flow of water is opposite during night.

The electricity generated is not suitable to use directly, therefore it is transferred to the power station and then to the power lines and to the national grid. The reversible turbine pumps out the water from the low-level reservoir at night to repeat the process again.

Overally, the diagram gave us the basic knowledge of how electricity is generated and the process involved in it and resources that are necessary to generate electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main components and describe the broad day/night cycle, including water passing through turbines by day and being pumped back at night. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: the water is not transferred to the power station after electricity is generated; rather, the generator is inside the station and sends electricity via power lines to the national grid. The opening also says a dam is constructed, although the diagram shows an existing dam and reservoir, and the river feeding the upper reservoir is omitted. The final overview is general rather than a clear summary of the system’s two operating modes. More precise sequencing and a concise overview of the reversible process would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to process details and a concluding statement, and sequencing phrases such as “At first” and “at night” help the reader follow parts of the cycle. However, progression is not consistently clear: the paragraph beginning “The electricity generated” places the transfer to the power station after generation, which disrupts the process sequence. The relationship between the daytime flow and the nighttime pumping is also only briefly stated, and “Overally” introduces a broad conclusion rather than synthesising the stages. Organise the description in the order water and electricity move, and use clearer links such as “During the day” and “At night” to distinguish the two phases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “intake,” “reversible turbines,” “low-level reservoir,” and “national grid,” which allows you to describe the main equipment. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are imprecise. “Water turbine” is less accurate than the diagram’s “reversible turbines,” while “pumps out the water” does not clearly express that water is pumped back into the high-level reservoir. “Pass the water” and “basic knowledge” are also vague for a process description. Aim for precise verbs such as “flows,” “drives,” “generates,” and “is pumped back,” and avoid repeating general terms like “process” when a specific stage can be named.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate the general process using both simple sentences and some subordinate structures, for example, “At first, a dam is constructed to store the water…” and “The flowing water rotates the turbine which converts…” However, sentence patterns are mostly simple, and some grammatical choices reduce precision. In “from river,” the article is missing; “the process involved in it and resources that are necessary” has unclear reference and awkward clause structure. The sentence about electricity being transferred also uses a sequence that makes the relationship between generation and transmission difficult to follow. Use a wider mix of accurate passive and relative clauses, and check articles and punctuation—for example, place a comma before a non-defining “which” clause when appropriate.

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