Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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 illustration delineates the given process of forming a rain-shadow desert, which is a one of many types of deserts. It is evident that seven stages are involved in forming of the desert.

To commence with, it is apparent that the process begins with winds approaching the coast and ends with dry winds blew towards inland areas. This natural process shows how rain happen and effect in making a rain-cloud desert. Firstly, the winds approach the coast from sea and move upwards with mountain steep. Afterwards the air contained the moist rises and cools down, by windwards side they form clouds to and when they reach at the peak the rain falls. After, dry air travel downwards the mountains by leeward side. Finally, the winds reached lowest point of the mountains (inland areas) and form the rain shadow desert. it shows that all the steps are important and necessary for making it po

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, from the initial wind approach to the final dry conditions. However, the description is somewhat superficial and lacks a clear overview or synthesis of the process. The student identifies the stages but fails to highlight the key contrast between the windward and leeward sides effectively. The conclusion is incomplete, ending abruptly with 'po', which suggests a failure to fully develop the final stage of the task. While the main features are identified, the lack of a cohesive summary and the unfinished nature of the text limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organised into two paragraphs, which is appropriate for a short report. There is a basic attempt at logical progression using transition signals like 'To commence with', 'Firstly', and 'Afterwards'. However, the flow is often mechanical, and the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'by windwards side they form clouds to and when they reach at the peak'. The abrupt ending significantly disrupts the coherence of the final paragraph, making the overall structure feel unfinished and disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. The student uses basic terms like 'natural process', 'winds', and 'mountains' repeatedly. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'forming of the desert' instead of 'the formation of the desert' and 'rain-cloud desert' which is not a standard term. The range is limited, and the student struggles to use more sophisticated terminology related to meteorological processes, which prevents a higher score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in verb tense and preposition usage, such as 'dry winds blew towards' (should be 'blow') and 'reach at the peak' (should be 'reach the peak'). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and sentence structure, such as 'by windwards side they form clouds to'. These errors are noticeable and occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the process described.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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