Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12
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 formation of rain-shadow deserts consists of thousands of kilometers before you reach the top of the mountain. Just behind the coast, we have the sea which enables wind approaches the coast and push upwards towards the windward side lays a crack that permits moist air that rises and cools as a result of the clouds that forms. Although, rain falls at the peak of the Highland, there are dry air which continues over the mountains towards the Leewards side, there is an obvious narrow opening which faces the anterior of the hill. In addition, the dry winds moves downwards in the direction of the inland areas.
The inland areas is located at the right side of the rain-shadow deserts, opposite the sea and it takes about thousands of kilometers for one to reach the other side of the the hill and it is a beautiful scenery and nature plays an important role.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to provide a clear summary of the process shown in the diagram. Instead of describing the stages of rain-shadow formation (moist air rising, cooling, condensation, and the resulting dry air descending), the text provides vague and inaccurate descriptions, such as 'thousands of kilometers before you reach the top of the mountain'. The response lacks a clear overview and fails to highlight the key features of the process, such as the contrast between the windward and leeward sides. Much of the content is irrelevant, such as the comment about 'beautiful scenery', which is not part of the diagram. Consequently, the response does not adequately address the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The organization of the response is weak. While there are two paragraphs, the internal logic within them is disjointed. The transition between ideas is often confusing, such as the abrupt shift from describing wind movement to mentioning a 'crack' and then to 'clouds that forms'. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical and sometimes incorrect way, such as the misuse of 'Although' at the start of a sentence that does not contain a contrasting clause. The progression of information does not follow the logical sequence of the process depicted in the diagram, making it difficult for the reader to follow the intended meaning.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often imprecise. There is a reliance on basic, repetitive language, and some word choices are inappropriate for a formal report, such as 'anterior of the hill' or 'beautiful scenery'. There are also issues with word formation and collocation, such as 'wind approaches the coast and push upwards' (should be 'pushes') and 'dry winds moves' (should be 'move'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe a scientific or geographical process accurately, and the errors occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the intended technical description.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect clarity. There are significant issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'clouds that forms' (should be 'form') and 'dry winds moves' (should be 'move'). Sentence structures are often fragmented or run-on, making them difficult to parse. For example, 'Just behind the coast, we have the sea which enables wind approaches the coast and push upwards' is syntactically flawed. There is very little evidence of complex sentence structures used accurately. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with commas used incorrectly or omitted where necessary, further hindering the readability of the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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