Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 natural process illustrates the information pertaining to formation of clouds with evaporation.

Overall, it can be seen that the process contains 7 steps, Commencing with winds approach coast and pushed it upwards, and culminating with dry winds reaches inland areas.

Looking into more details, Initially winds approaches the coast where winds are pushed upwards towards the mountains. Afterthat, moist air is rises and cools for the formation of clouds. Once, wind is rises and cools it forms clouds beside the windward side.

Subsequently, rain droplets is dropped to mountains and make a river. Therefore, wind which is dry it contineuosly flow over the mountains and reaches inland areas where wind reaches after rainfall covering long distance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 117 words. This significantly impacts the development of the task. While the student attempts to summarise the process, the description is superficial and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the stages of the rain-shadow effect. Key features, such as the distinction between the windward and leeward sides, are mentioned but not clearly explained or compared. Due to the under-length nature of the response and the lack of sufficient detail, the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into a brief introduction and two body paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Afterthat' (which is not a standard word) and 'Once, wind is rises'. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed, and the lack of sufficient length prevents a smooth flow of information. While the overall arrangement is coherent enough to follow the general process, the lack of sophisticated linking words limits the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'winds', 'pushed', and 'rises'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect word forms, such as 'winds approach coast and pushed it upwards' and 'rain droplets is dropped'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise scientific terminology related to weather processes and improving collocation accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'moist air is rises' and 'rain droplets is dropped'. Additionally, the sentence structure is often simplistic or incorrectly formed, such as 'wind which is dry it contineuosly flow'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the errors in basic grammar are persistent throughout the text. The student needs to focus on verb tenses and basic sentence construction to improve accuracy.

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

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