Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 picture illustrates stwp by step the formation of rain-shadow desert for length thousand kilometres.

Overall, rain-shadow desert had through the process before formed perfectly. Started in the ocean, when the winds began to approach coast, then pushed them upwards. They made the air moisture rose and cool. Next the clouds formed steadily and became heavily. Not long after that, rain fell to the ground.

After raining, the air dried continuesly over mountain, they shortly made the winds dried to reach inland areas.

Finally, rain-shadow desert shown by nature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the general subject and report several stages, including winds approaching the coast, rising, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air moving inland. However, the account is very brief and only minimally summarises the process. The overview is unclear: “rain-shadow desert had through the process before formed perfectly” does not explain the key pattern that moist air loses rain on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert inland on the leeward side. Some details are also imprecise, such as saying the process “Started in the ocean” rather than that winds approach from the sea. The response is 61 words below the required minimum. To improve, give a clear overview and explain the stages and the contrast between the two sides of the mountain.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in broadly chronological order, and sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “Next,” “After,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the intended process. The paragraph breaks also separate the overview from parts of the sequence. However, progression is weakened by unclear links and references: “They made the air moisture rose and cool” leaves it uncertain what “They” refers to, while “After raining” does not clearly connect rainfall to the air becoming dry on the other side of the mountain. The final sentence adds little to the sequence. Use one paragraph for a concise overview and another for the stages, linking each cause and result explicitly—for example, rainfall on the windward side leads to dry air continuing over the mountain.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “winds,” “coast,” “clouds,” “rain,” “mountain,” and “inland areas,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, making parts of the description awkward or unclear. Examples include “stwp” (a spelling error), “rain-shadow desert for length thousand kilometres,” “air moisture,” and “winds dried.” “Became heavily” is also not a natural way to describe cloud formation. Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “moist air,” “clouds gather,” “precipitation falls,” and “dry winds move inland.” These choices would make the stages clearer and reduce repetition of basic words such as “air” and “rain.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a few different sentence patterns, including a sequence of clauses beginning “when the winds began to approach coast” and “then pushed them upwards.” However, control is weak: several sentences contain faulty verb forms or incomplete constructions, as in “They made the air moisture rose and cool” and “the air dried continuesly over mountain, they shortly made the winds dried.” The opening and overview also have unclear tense and structure: “rain-shadow desert had through the process before formed perfectly.” Articles and sentence boundaries are often missing or awkward, for example “approach coast” and the comma splice between “mountain” and “they.” Use straightforward, complete sentences with consistent present simple for a process, such as “The moist air rises, cools and forms clouds.”

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