Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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 overall process of how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed within a measure of thousand kilometers mountains.

Overall, the formation of rain shadow deserts starts within sea coast and reached the top of the mountains and move forward stepping over the top of the mountain to other side to the land, covering seven steps altogether in process.

The first steps starts with wind approaching coast from the top of the sea in diagram because of the high hill it is pushed upward and while moving upward most of the air rises and cools in between the process. Afterward, the steps take place of forming new clouds while moving to the windward side, additionally the rain starts to pour.

Eventually, the sixth steps take place and after raining, dry air continues over mountain to leeward side reaching in land areas within Rain-shadow desert passing thousand of kilometers high hill.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the process of rain-shadow desert formation shown in the diagram, identifying key stages such as moisture moving from the sea, rising over mountains, precipitation on the windward side, and dry air descending on the leeward side. However, the explanation is incomplete, vague, and contains factual confusion regarding the stages (for instance, misinterpreting the number of steps and referring incorrectly to 'thousand kilometers mountains'). While the main topic is introduced, the information is not fully or accurately reported, resulting in under-developed ideas and an inability to fully convey the comparative and sequential details required for Academic Task 1. This performance aligns best with the Band 5 descriptors, as the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into brief paragraphs, but the overall progression of ideas is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and confusing referencing. While basic cohesive devices and sequencing words are attempted (e.g., 'Overall', 'The first steps starts', 'Afterward', 'Eventually'), their usage is often mechanical and inaccurate. The relationship between sentences lacks logical flow, making it difficult for the reader to follow the sequential stages of the geographical process smoothly. Paragraphing is also somewhat erratic, with single-sentence paragraphs breaking up the analysis. These issues reflect the characteristics of Band 5, where some organisation is present, but clear overall progression and accurate cohesion are lacking.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and frequently repetitive ('steps', 'mountain', 'side', 'moving'). There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations, such as 'measure of thousand kilometers mountains', 'sea coast', and 'reaching in land areas'. The student attempts some less common topic-related vocabulary like 'precipitation' equivalents ('rain starts to pour', 'after raining'), but precision is lacking, and word choice errors are frequent enough to cause some difficulty for the reader. There are also issues with word forms (e.g., 'the first steps starts'). This repertoire and error frequency correspond closely to a Band 5 score, representing a limited but minimally adequate range for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies on a very limited range of sentence structures, and attempts at longer, more complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are persistent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'The first steps starts', 'process... are formed'), missing prepositions, and incorrect verb tense/form usage (e.g., 'reached the top', 'take place of forming'). Punctuation is also weak, with run-on sentences lacking proper demarcation. Although the core meaning can sometimes be deciphered despite the errors, the high frequency of grammatical inaccuracies causes regular difficulty for the reader, placing the response firmly at Band 5.

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

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