The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.
Sample Response
The given process diagramfigure illustrates the generation of electricity in a hydroelectric power station.
Overall, it can be seen that electricity is generated during the daymostly in day hours. However, at nightat night time, water is pumped back to the high-level reservoirsent to the reservoir. The generation of current involves a repeating daytime and nighttime cyclearound seven stages.
To begin withTo begin with, firstly, water flowswas transferred from the river to a high-level reservoir. It was regulated by a dam, which is constructed behind a reservoir. Secondly, in the daytime, water flowshad flown through the pipefrom pipes to reversible turbines to generate power. Then, some water is sent into the generator in the power station. After that, the generator produces the power lines then it forms the national grid. Next, the waterliquid is directed to the low-level reservoir during the dayin light time.
At nightIn the nighttime, the process is reversed, pumping water from the low-level reservoirreservoirs to reversible turbines and through the pipes to the high-level reservoirmain pool. At nightIn the nocturnal time, intake is closed. The same water which is pumped from a low-level reservoir is used for generating electricity the following daydaylight production of energy.
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response gives a relevant overview of the daytime generation and nighttime pumping cycle and presents the stages in a broadly logical order. Its main limitation is technical imprecision: water is incorrectly described as entering the generator, and the generator's connection to the national grid is unclear. The highest-priority improvement is to describe the function of each component accurately while maintaining consistent present-tense process language.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The main day-night cycle and most components are covered, but some important relationships are inaccurate, particularly the roles of the turbines, generator, and power lines.
State that flowing water turns the reversible turbines, which operate the generator, and that electricity then travels by power lines to the national grid.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a clear introduction, overview, and separate daytime and nighttime stages, although sequencing devices are repetitive and some connections are confusing.
Organise each stage around one clear action and use sequencing only where it genuinely clarifies the process.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary covers the process adequately, but alternatives such as light time, nocturnal time, main pool, and liquid are awkward or imprecise.
Use the diagram's exact technical labels consistently, including daytime, nighttime, high-level reservoir, and low-level reservoir.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning is generally understandable, but frequent tense shifts, malformed verb phrases, and inaccurate clause structures weaken control.
Describe the process consistently in the present simple and check subject-verb relationships in every stage.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.