Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 given diagram illustrates how one kind of desert is formed, which is rain-shadow desert.

Overall, there are several steps involve in the formation of rain-shadow desert. However, it highlight three main steps of wind approach coast, rain falls, and dry wind reach inland areas.

This whole process of emergence of rain-shadow desert start with sea and wind approach coastal and following this, wind pushed upwards where moist air rises and get cooler. Because of this, it helped to formed clouds, which then start raining at the peak of the mountain. Due to this process of rain falls, an ice layer is built on the peak of the mountain.

Furthermore, the dry air continues over the mountain and by the help of leeward side, the dry wind reach inland areas where it formed a rain-shadow desert. The whole is move in one direction, which is non-cyclic. Other than this, mountain is in thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarise the diagram illustrating the formation of a rain-shadow desert. The student identifies the main stages, such as moist air rising, rain falling over the mountain, and dry wind reaching inland areas. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the interpretation of the visual data, notably the claim that 'an ice layer is built on the peak of the mountain' and that the process is 'non-cyclic'. Furthermore, the overview provided in the second paragraph is slightly confused and mechanical. Consequently, while the general topic is addressed, the development of the main features lacks the necessary precision and accuracy required for higher bands, placing this performance at Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is organized into four paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the stages. However, progression is frequently hindered by awkward transitions and confusing cohesion. Phrases such as 'This whole process of emergence of rain-shadow desert start with sea' and 'by the help of leeward side' lack smooth integration. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and cohesive devices are used mechanically. Paragraphing is attempted, but the logical flow between sentences is occasionally broken, leading to a choppy reading experience. This aligns well with the descriptors for Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with several noticeable word-choice and collocation errors. Examples include 'steps involve' instead of 'steps involved', 'wind approach coast' instead of 'winds approach the coast', and 'get cooler' instead of 'cools'. The phrase 'thousands of kilometers' is misused to describe the scale of the mountain. While the language is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic of a desert formation, the lexical range is narrow, and errors in word formation and collocation cause some difficulty for the reader, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, with frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. There are persistent issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, such as 'wind approach', 'moist air rises and get cooler', and 'the whole is move in one direction'. Attempts at complex structures are often clumsy and grammatically flawed, for example, 'which is rain-shadow desert' missing an article, and 'where it formed a rain-shadow desert' using the wrong tense. Because errors occur frequently across simple and complex forms and occasionally distort meaning, a Band 4.5 is appropriate, rounded to 5.0 based on positive achievement.

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

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