Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-23

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 process diagram demonstrates how a specific type of desert is formed as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the wind from the surface of the ocean pushed upwards from the windward side and in the top of the mountain dry air suffered from rain falls continues flowing down from the leeward side.Moreover, dry winds reach inland areas which makes rain-shadow desert at last.

In this process, the wind from the coast from the sea pushed upwards and the moist air cool.After that, it is convert into the cloud form in the windward side .

Rain falls begin in the top of the mountain and the dry air steadily flow downwards from the leeward side of the mountain.At last, dry winds reach into the inland and this process make rain-shadow desert. Furthermore, the distance of the mountain where this process is happen is thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the student identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks the necessary depth to fully explain the process. The overview provided is basic, and the explanation of the transition from moist air to dry air lacks precision. Because the response is under the required length, it cannot fully develop the information provided in the diagram, leading to an incomplete summary of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'At last' and 'Moreover'. The logical flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the transition between the windward and leeward sides of the mountain. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the progression of ideas feels fragmented rather than smooth, and the referencing of the diagram's stages is not always clear or well-integrated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'pushed', 'flow', and 'make'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'dry air suffered from rain falls' and 'convert into the cloud form', which are not natural English expressions. The student struggles to use precise scientific or descriptive terminology appropriate for a process diagram. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of variety and the frequent inaccuracies in word usage prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with verb tense consistency ('is happen', 'process make') and article usage ('in the top of the mountain'). Complex sentence structures are attempted but are often faulty or awkward, such as 'the wind from the surface of the ocean pushed upwards from the windward side and in the top of the mountain dry air suffered from rain falls continues flowing down'. These errors occur frequently and occasionally impede the clarity of the explanation.

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

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