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 image below reveals the step by step process in formation of a particular type of desert, called the rain-shadow desert.
Overall, there are 7 steps in which the rain-shadow desert is formed. Starting from the sea to the windward side, then to the mountain top and falls back at the leeward side and back to the inland.
At the sea level, the wind approach the coast in which the sea pushes it upward to the windward side where moist air rises and cools to form the clouds. In contrast, there is rain fall on the mountain top but dry air continues over the mountain at the leeward side, which declines and reaches the inland area to form the rain-shadow desert.
However, in between the coast and the inland is thosands of kilometers which is below the mountain.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the diagram illustrating the formation of rain-shadow deserts. However, it fails to meet the minimum word count of 150 words, containing only 138 words, which attracts a direct penalty under the Task Achievement criterion. While the writer identifies the main stages from the sea to the inland, the overview and body paragraphs miss several crucial details depicted in the diagram, such as the specific role of the prevailing winds, precipitation patterns, and the elevation changes. The overview is overly simplistic, dividing the process into 7 steps rather than synthesizing the overarching mechanism. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, leading to a Band 5.0 score for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response demonstrates some organisation with an introductory sentence, an overview paragraph, and body details, but the logical progression is hindered by choppy paragraphing and abrupt transitions. The writer uses some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Starting from', and 'In contrast', yet referencing is occasionally weak, such as 'falls back at the leeward side and back to the inland'. Paragraphing is underutilised, with the body paragraphs containing fragmented and disconnected ideas. There is an over-reliance on basic connective structures, resulting in a somewhat mechanical flow. Overall, the arrangement meets the criteria for Band 5.0, where coherence is present overall, but structural control and cohesion remain limited and repetitive.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student successfully incorporates some topic-appropriate vocabulary such as 'sea level', 'moist air', 'dry air', and 'rain-shadow desert'. However, there are noticeable vocabulary and collocation errors that detract from the writing, such as 'the wind approach' (should be 'winds approach'), 'rain fall' (should be 'rainfall'), and 'thosands of kilometers' (spelling error). Furthermore, expressions like 'falls back at the leeward side' demonstrate a lack of precision in describing geographical and meteorological phenomena. Because the vocabulary is basic with noticeable errors that occasionally cause slight difficulty, a score of 5.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Starting from the sea to the windward side, then to the mountain top and falls back...' and 'In contrast, there is rain fall on the mountain top but dry air continues...'. However, control over complex structures is inconsistent, leading to noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the wind approach') and incorrect preposition usage. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but sentence boundaries are occasionally blurred by incomplete clauses. The frequency of grammatical errors and limited syntactic variety place this response firmly in Band 5.0, reflecting frequent errors that can cause some difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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