Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

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 provides information about how rain shadow desert is formed.

The rain shadow desert, form on 7 steps and it take long of thoudands of kilometres of mountains, it is starte on the sea side where vagues of wind hit on the mountains and rise towards the high of the montain. The wind rises and coulds form by the cool air which is formed from winds, the wind take the coulds high at the level where they fell rain, the side which this process happend is named the windward side. The second process take place on the leeward side, where a dry air fall down on the mountain until it reachs the inland areas where it turn absorbe all the humidity, which kill the trees and the nature world.

The rain shadow desert lead to the global warming, which it lead to many disasters and the disappearance of a large wide of species.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to describe the seven-step process of rain-shadow desert formation shown in the diagram, touching upon key stages such as winds approaching the coast, rising over mountains, forming clouds, and creating the windward and leeward sides. However, the response includes inaccurate information not present in the diagram, such as claiming the process 'lead to the global warming, which it lead to many disasters'. Furthermore, the overview lacks clarity and fails to adequately summarise the main overall features of the process. While the spatial relationships (windward and leeward sides) are mentioned, the explanation of the progression is superficial in places, resulting in a partial coverage of the task requirements. This corresponds to a Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into three very short paragraphs, but the paragraphing and overall structure are weak. There is a lack of clear progression, and the connection between sentences is sometimes faulty or mechanical. Cohesive devices are minimally and repetitively used (e.g., repeating 'the wind', 'where', and 'which'). For example, 'The second process take place on the leeward side, where a dry air fall down...' demonstrates awkward referencing and cohesion. Although the text can be followed with some effort, the lack of sophisticated discourse markers and logical flow places it within the Band 5 category.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, with noticeable errors in word choice and morphology that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'vagues' instead of waves, 'coulds' instead of clouds, 'fell rain' instead of drop or release precipitation, and 'turn absorbe'. The student attempts less common vocabulary such as 'humidity' and 'inland areas', but errors like 'the nature world' instead of the natural world reveal a restricted lexical range that is minimally adequate for the task. This aligns with a Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response exhibits a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by basic relative pronouns. There are frequent and persistent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('rain shadow desert, form on 7 steps', 'it take long'), tense inconsistencies ('is starte', 'happend', 'reachs', 'turn absorbe'), and missing articles. Complex structures are attempted (e.g., relative clauses with 'where' and 'which'), but they are frequently faulty. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader and reflect the descriptors for Band 5.

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

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