Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 flow diagram offers insights into the formation of a rain-shadow desert by the help of wind, sea, mountain and inland where wind travels thousands of kilometres from sea to inland.

Overall the whole process of formation of rain-shadow desert is a natural cyclical process where there are seven stages from approach of winds of sea to reaching winds in inland areas which are divided into three main parts (cloud forming, raining and drying air).

In the initial stage, the winds of sea goes upward the mountain where is moist air rises and cools it for cloud forming. After forming cloud in the windward side of the mountain when the clouds reach at the top of the mountain rain starts.

After that when the rain stops the dry air continues to go down by leeward side of the mountain. When the dry winds reach at the down-side of the mountain creates rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the movement of air from the sea, over the mountain, and into the inland area. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks detail regarding the specific physical changes described in the diagram, such as the temperature drop or the distinction between the windward and leeward sides. While the overview is present, it is slightly repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should focus on describing the causal links more precisely, such as explaining why the air cools or why the leeward side becomes dry, rather than just listing the stages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'After that', 'When the'). The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is clear, but the flow within the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show cause and effect, such as 'consequently', 'as a result', or 'subsequently'. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to the limited range of cohesive structures employed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use terms like 'windward' and 'leeward' correctly, which is a strength, but other descriptions are repetitive. For example, you use 'go' or 'goes' multiple times (e.g., 'winds of sea goes upward', 'dry air continues to go down'). Using more precise verbs such as 'ascends', 'descends', 'precipitates', or 'evaporates' would significantly enhance the quality of your writing. There are also minor issues with word choice, such as 'by the help of wind', which is not natural phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For instance, 'the winds of sea goes upward' contains a subject-verb agreement error, and 'where is moist air rises' is grammatically incorrect. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative clauses would be a beneficial area for improvement.

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

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