Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The layout illustrates information about how one desert created by natural process and well know as a rain-shadow desert.

It can be clearly seen that the structure of rain-shadow desert initially start with when moist air from sea moves towards coast Followed to this, the air is pushed towards them hills. Next to this, air moist is rise up and cooler and then clouds are formed.

It can be clearly observed that after clouds formation rain starts falling. Afterwards, dried air continue over to hills . Lastly, dry air reached up to inland site. there is thousands kilometers

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the ability to fully address the task. While the student attempts to describe the process of rain-shadow desert formation, the explanation is fragmented and lacks the necessary detail to provide a comprehensive summary. Key features, such as the specific role of the mountain range or the contrast between the windward and leeward sides, are underdeveloped. Because the response is only 98 words, it fails to meet the basic requirements of the task, resulting in a low score for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Followed to this', 'Next to this', and 'Afterwards' to sequence the steps. However, the flow is disjointed, and the paragraphing is ineffective. The final sentence is incomplete ('there is thousands kilometers'), which disrupts the logical progression of the text. While there is a basic attempt to organize the information chronologically, the lack of sufficient content and the abrupt ending make the overall structure feel mechanical and incomplete.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'air', 'clouds', and 'hills' without utilizing more precise scientific or descriptive terminology appropriate for a process diagram (e.g., 'moisture-laden', 'precipitation', 'leeward side'). There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'air moist is rise up' and 'dried air continue over to hills'. The range is insufficient to convey the information with the necessary precision for an Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. Examples include 'one desert created by natural process and well know as', 'air moist is rise up and cooler', and 'dry air reached up to inland site'. The sentence structures are mostly simple and often contain errors in verb tense and word order. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation make the text difficult to follow in several places.

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

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