Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

This particular diagram illustrates the production of electricity through a hydroelectric power station.

Here we can see the water flow through a river that flow of water is heading to a dam.The dam intake the water during day time and then it opens at night.Then its move to narrow path like a small canal during day time meanwhile, it hits a reversible turbines they just act like a hybrid kind of machine like, at the day it pumps the water and makes the generator operational.And at night it pump the water into high-level reservoir moreover generator then transfer electricity towards power lines and then to the mainh national grid where it spreaded electricity towards whole area like city and villages overall at dam level there was good administration of control water flow and at that time it controlled water flow in a reversible canal route in which same function have been taken of water flow forward and back water for various purposes

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject and include several relevant stages, such as water moving from the reservoir through the turbines and electricity reaching the national grid. You also recognise that the system operates differently by day and night. However, key details are misreported: the intake is open during the day and closed at night, but you say it opens at night; during the day, water drives the turbines and generator, whereas you say the turbines pump water. The response also does not clearly explain the full cycle, including water entering the low-level reservoir by day and being pumped back uphill at night. A more accurate, concise overview of this two-way process would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some attempt to present the process in sequence, beginning with the river and dam and moving towards the power lines and grid. However, the response is essentially one long paragraph, and its progression is difficult to follow because several stages and day/night operations are combined in the same sentence. Linking expressions such as “then,” “meanwhile,” and “moreover” are used, but they do not always show the relationship between ideas accurately. For example, the shift from daytime generation to nighttime pumping is not clearly signposted. Organise the response into an overview and a step-by-step description, and use separate sentences to distinguish the two operating modes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “reversible turbines,” “generator,” “high-level reservoir,” and “national grid,” which helps identify the main components. However, the range is limited and several informal or imprecise expressions weaken the technical description. “A narrow path like a small canal” is not a clear term for the conduit, while “hybrid kind of machine” is unsuitable for an academic process report. There are also noticeable word-choice and form problems, such as “spreaded electricity” and “mainh national grid,” which may distract the reader. Use precise process terms consistently and avoid conversational comparisons or unsupported claims about electricity reaching cities and villages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas using longer sentences, but these structures are often difficult to control, and errors sometimes make the sequence unclear. For example, “the water flow through a river that flow of water is heading to a dam” has problems with sentence construction and subject–verb agreement. Tense and verb forms are also inconsistent in “at the day it pumps the water” and “it pump the water,” while missing sentence boundaries create run-ons, particularly in the long middle section. There is some use of simple and joined clauses, but greater accuracy is needed before adding more complexity. Practise writing short, complete sentences with consistent present-tense verbs and clear punctuation.

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