Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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 4.0)

.The wind is coming from the sea and approaching to the coast abd because there is a mountain on the end of the sea the wind moves upwards by bending then their is a windward side so the moist air rises and coools and in adddition to it there are clouds on the top of the mountain wich are creating cloud forms on the top by the moist air coming from the down of the mountain the sea so when the moit air meat with the clouds it creates clouds forms which then make the clouds heavy then the phenomenon happen which we call “Rain” then the dry air continues to over the mountain to the leeward side and now the temperature is not cool so the dry air then reach to the inland side by sidee this dry wind reaches inland due to the leeward side of the mountain

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to describe the process of rain-shadow desert formation, but it fails to provide a clear, structured overview. The information is presented as a single, long, run-on sentence, which makes it difficult to follow the logical sequence of the diagram. Key features such as the 'windward' and 'leeward' sides are mentioned, but the explanation of the process is confusing and lacks the necessary precision required for an Academic Task 1 report. The description is repetitive and lacks a clear summary of the main features, failing to distinguish between the stages of the process effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response lacks paragraphing entirely, consisting of one single, long, and unpunctuated block of text. There is no logical progression of ideas; the narrative jumps between concepts without clear transitions. Cohesive devices are either missing or used incorrectly, such as the repetitive use of 'and' and 'then' to link clauses. The lack of punctuation makes it extremely difficult for the reader to identify where one idea ends and another begins, which significantly hinders the flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic words like 'wind', 'mountain', 'sea', and 'clouds', and struggles to use more precise terminology related to geography or meteorology. There are several spelling errors, such as 'abd', 'coools', 'adddition', 'wich', 'moit', 'meat', and 'sidee'. The phrasing is often awkward and unnatural, such as 'coming from the down of the mountain', which indicates a lack of control over word choice and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical structure is extremely weak. The entire response is essentially one long run-on sentence, lacking any full stops or commas to separate clauses. There is a frequent misuse of articles and prepositions, and the sentence structure is consistently simple or incorrectly complex. Errors in verb tense and subject-verb agreement are pervasive. Because the text lacks basic punctuation and sentence boundaries, it is difficult to assess any range of structures, as the writing does not conform to standard English sentence conventions.

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

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