Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 diagram shows the information about the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

overall, there are alots of different steps of rain-shadow deserts, which is start from sea and end on making rain-shadow desert.

Firstly, winds approach coast from sea and pushed winds upwards. In the 3rd step moist air rises and cools, after that cloud are formed. Moreover from those clouds Rain fall down on mountains, dry air continues over mountains, leeward side.

Further more, dry winds reach inland areas which called Rain-shadow desert. This whole process takes thousands of kilometous of area to make one type of desert.

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 ability to fully develop the task. While the student identifies the main stages of the process, the description is overly brief and lacks the necessary detail to provide a comprehensive summary. The overview is simplistic, and the explanation of the process lacks the depth required for an Academic Task 1 response. Because the response is 52 words under the minimum, it is heavily penalised for failing to address the task requirements adequately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response uses basic paragraphing and some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Further more'. However, the progression of ideas is disjointed due to the brevity of the text. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, and the overall structure feels fragmented. The lack of sufficient length prevents the development of a logical flow that would be expected in a higher-scoring response. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the steps of the process is abrupt.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'steps', 'start', and 'end'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'kilometous' instead of 'kilometers' and 'alots of'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe a technical process effectively. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of precise, topic-specific terminology (e.g., 'prevailing winds', 'precipitation', 'orographic lift') prevents the response from achieving a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the writing. Examples include 'which is start from sea', 'cloud are formed', and 'Rain fall down'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the control over basic grammar is inconsistent. Punctuation is also problematic, particularly with the misuse of commas and capitalization. The errors are frequent and occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the process described.

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

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