Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 4.0)

The formation of rain shadow desert

1 First wind approach coast on the sea.

2 wind collapse with the coast and pushed. upwards.

3 the moist occur rises and cools the air.

4 clouds form in sky.

5 then rain falls on the mountains.

mountain have 2 sides windward side and leeward side the rain falls on the mountains.

6 Dry air continues over the mountain on the lee ward side.

7 then dry wind reach inland areas.

one side of mountain is sea and the other side of mountain is inland.

there are thousand of kilometer distance between rain shadow desert and sea.

conclusion

first of all wind approach coast on the surface of sea then it pushed upwards moist air rises and cools then clouds formed then rain falls on the mountain then dry air continues over mountain then dry air reached inland areas.

this is how the rain shadow desert formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the requirements for an Academic Task 1 report. Instead of providing a cohesive summary of the process, the student has presented a numbered list of fragmented sentences that merely describe individual steps without synthesis. There is no clear introduction or overview of the process, and the information is not organised into a logical report format. The description is overly simplistic and lacks the necessary academic tone required for describing a scientific process. To improve, the student must write in full, connected paragraphs and focus on describing the overall trend and the relationship between the stages rather than listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text lacks logical organisation and progression. The use of a numbered list disrupts the flow of the report, and there are no effective cohesive devices used to link the stages of the process. The 'conclusion' section is essentially a repetition of the previous points rather than a synthesis of the information. Paragraphing is absent, and the overall structure is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the sequence of events as a coherent process. To improve, the student should use linking words such as 'subsequently', 'following this', and 'as a result' to connect ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying heavily on the words provided in the prompt. There is little evidence of the range required for an Academic Task 1 response. Phrases like 'wind collapse with the coast' are inaccurate and demonstrate a lack of control over scientific terminology. The student struggles to use precise language to describe the geographical process, such as 'moist air' or 'precipitation'. To improve, the student should learn and apply topic-specific vocabulary related to weather and geography, such as 'prevailing winds', 'condensation', and 'arid conditions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'wind approach', 'clouds formed'), missing articles (e.g., 'on the sea', 'in sky'), and incorrect sentence structure. The writing consists mostly of simple, fragmented sentences rather than complex structures. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with many sentences lacking proper capitalization or ending marks. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and practicing the correct use of articles and verb tenses.

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