Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30

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 information provided in the given diagram illustrates how a single kind of desert, called rain-shadow desert, is come place into body.

Overall, the formation of rain-shadow desert is usually consist of 7 straightforward steps, starting from winds approach to a coast, and end with dry winds reach inland areas to form inland.

To commence with, the initial step of rain-shadow desert formation is winds approach wo a cast, then the winds is pushed upwards to next upcoming step, which had moist air rises and cools, these air is considering to go through windward side to reached clouds in sky to form clouds. Next the fifth stage is rain falls from those clouds which has form from the previous step. Nevertheless, the fifth is the peak step in the mountains, from that now a downwards trends is begin, the next upcoming stage is dry air continues over mountain which will be followed by leeward side of the mountain. Finally, the dry winds reach to the inland areas to form inlands. subsequently a rain-shadow desert is made, which take a lot of time as well as the process can done thousands of kilometres away from one another.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides an overview of the process, but the description of the stages is often confusing and inaccurate. For instance, the student mentions '7 straightforward steps' but fails to clearly delineate them, leading to a disjointed summary. While the main features of the rain-shadow effect are mentioned, the explanation of the process is frequently unclear, such as the phrase 'winds approach wo a cast' and the confusing sequence of cloud formation. The summary lacks the precision required for a Band 6 or higher, as the relationship between the stages is not clearly articulated, making it difficult for the reader to follow the scientific process described in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While cohesive devices like 'To commence with', 'Next', and 'Finally' are used, they are often applied mechanically and do not always connect the ideas logically. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'these air is considering to go through windward side', which lacks a clear antecedent. The flow of the text is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and grammatical errors, which hinders the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and often inaccurate. There are several instances of non-standard word choices and awkward collocations, such as 'come place into body' instead of 'formed', and 'downwards trends is begin'. The student struggles to use precise terminology related to the process, relying on repetitive and simplistic language. While the meaning is generally discernible, the lack of variety and the frequent errors in word choice prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More precise scientific vocabulary is needed to describe the meteorological process effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede clarity. There are persistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('the winds is pushed', 'these air is considering'), tense usage ('which has form'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'the process can done thousands of kilometres away', which lacks a passive auxiliary. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are almost always faulty. The high frequency of errors throughout the text significantly impacts the readability and accuracy of the information presented.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.