Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The formation of rain-shadow deserts

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the process by which a rain -shadow desert is informed near the sea and mountains. Overall, it is clear that moist air is force to rise to over a high mountain,its loses its moisture as rain on one side .As a result, only dry reaches the other side, and this creates a desert inland. Firstly ,strong winds approach the coast from the sea. When these winds meet the mountains, they are pushed upward

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the diagram as a process and give a relevant overall idea: moist air rises, rain falls on one side, and dry air reaches inland to create a desert. You also begin the sequence by describing winds approaching from the sea and being forced upwards. However, the account stops before explaining the key later stages, including cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and the dry air crossing the mountain to the leeward side. The response therefore covers only a small part of the process and leaves the main sequence incomplete. It is also substantially below the required 150 words. To improve, report each major stage in order and include a concise overview of the windward-to-leeward contrast.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sense of order: it opens with an overview and then uses “Firstly” to begin describing the process. The cause-and-result link in “As a result” also helps connect the desert’s formation to the loss of moisture. However, the explanation ends abruptly after the winds are pushed upward, so there is no progression through the remaining stages or concluding description of the inland outcome. The overview and process details are not separated into clear paragraphs, and some punctuation spacing makes the flow harder to follow. Organise the response into an overview and a sequenced description, using links such as “as the air rises,” “consequently,” and “on the leeward side” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use several relevant terms for the topic, including “moist air,” “strong winds,” “mountains,” “rain,” and “inland,” and “approach the coast” is an appropriate process description. However, the vocabulary range is limited because the response is very short, and some word choices or forms obscure meaning. For example, “is informed” does not express how a desert is formed, while “only dry” is incomplete and does not clearly identify dry air or winds. “Rain-shadow desert” is relevant, but the phrase is inconsistently spaced and hyphenated. Use precise process vocabulary throughout, such as “is formed,” “rises,” “cools,” “precipitation,” and “dry air continues inland,” while checking word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is an attempt to use more than simple statements, particularly in “When these winds meet the mountains, they are pushed upward” and “As a result…,” which shows some control of sequencing and cause and effect. However, errors are frequent and sometimes make the meaning difficult to recover. In “moist air is force to rise,” the verb form is incorrect; “its loses its moisture” has an incorrect subject and verb; and “only dry reaches the other side” lacks a clear noun. The sentence beginning “Overall” also contains several clauses joined with faulty punctuation, including a missing space after the comma. Aim for complete, controlled sentences, checking subject–verb agreement and verb forms—for example, “moist air is forced to rise, cools, and loses its moisture as rain.”

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