Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05

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 4.5)

This diagram illustrates the detailed formation of making of rain-shadow desert. At a glance, the integral part is sea and wind to form rain-shadow desert.

In detail, firstly, wind are get contact with the sea in the coast area and wind pushed towards the upward position at windward side. After moist are go upside and getting cool at windward side. further step is the formation of cloud through the moist air. Due to formation of clout it is lead to rainfall in the mountain. dry air upside themountain continues to go down side of mountain from the leeward side. dry wind reach inland areas where the final formation of rain-shadow will occur in

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the response attempts to describe the process, the explanation is incomplete and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the formation of a rain-shadow desert. Key stages, such as the specific interaction between the moisture-laden air and the mountain range, are described in a fragmented manner. The summary of main features is underdeveloped, and the response ends abruptly, failing to provide a comprehensive overview of the process shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into two short paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by the lack of sufficient content and poor sentence structure. Cohesive devices are used in a very basic and sometimes inaccurate way, such as 'further step is' and 'Due to formation of clout it is lead to'. The progression of ideas is difficult to follow because the sentences are disjointed and lack clear transitions between the stages of the process. The referencing is often unclear, making it difficult for the reader to track the movement of air and moisture as described.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic terms like 'get contact', 'go upside', and 'go down side'. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and word formation, such as 'making of rain-shadow desert' instead of 'formation', and 'clout' instead of 'cloud'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe a scientific process accurately. To improve, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to geography and weather patterns, such as 'prevailing winds', 'precipitation', and 'arid conditions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('wind are get contact', 'moist are go'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Sentence structures are predominantly simple and often contain errors in word order, such as 'dry wind reach inland areas where the final formation of rain-shadow will occur in'. The lack of control over basic grammatical structures makes the text difficult to read. You need to focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically the use of articles and correct verb forms, before attempting more complex structures.

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

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