Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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 process chart illustrates the information about one type of desert known as arain shadow desert is formed.

To start with, the first was wind approach coast flow from sea and winds pushed upwards. The third process was the moisture riss to cooldown and take shape of cloud forms. It is very intesting to seen in fifth process rain falls. The dry air continues over mountain as well as it flow downward to leeward side and covering long distance dry wind reach to the inland areas. There was rain shadow desert in lower shadow of desert.

Overall, there are many process in this process chart and there was thousand of kilometer distance,the whole process conduct in mountain and this isa natural if one step can be miss it spoil the whole process

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, containing only 133 words, which results in a penalty under Task Achievement. While the student attempts to describe the stages of rain-shadow desert formation, the coverage is incomplete and lacks a clear, well-developed overview. Important features such as the distinct climatic zones (windward versus leeward sides) are poorly explained. For example, the sentence "There was rain shadow desert in lower shadow of desert" is repetitive and uninformative. To improve, the student must write at least 150 words and present a structured summary highlighting the main geographical and meteorological steps sequentially without informal commentary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The organization of the text is weak. Although the response attempts an introductory and concluding framework, the paragraphing and logical progression are disrupted by disjointed sentences and missing transitional phrases. Phrases like "To start with, the first was..." and "It is very intesting to seen..." sound unnatural and interrupt the flow of information. Referencing is frequently unclear, such as "the whole process conduct in mountain and this isa natural if one step can be miss it spoil the whole process" in the conclusion. Cohesive devices are either misused or absent, resulting in a somewhat mechanical and confusing arrangement of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, struggling to accurately convey scientific and geographical processes. There are several vocabulary and spelling errors, such as "arain shadow desert", "riss" for rise, "cooldown", and "intesting". Phrases like "thousand of kilometer distance" demonstrate limited flexibility and precision. While the writer attempts subject-specific terms such as "moisture", "clouds", and "dry air", the lexical resource remains restricted and heavily reliant on direct lifting or awkward paraphrasing from the prompt, constraining the score to a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

Grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors in sentence structure, tense consistency, and word form. For instance, "one type of desert known as arain shadow desert is formed" contains a missing relative pronoun and article issues. Sentences often lack proper verbs or are awkwardly pieced together, as seen in "the first was wind approach coast flow from sea and winds pushed upwards." Complex structures are attempted but are consistently faulty, and punctuation in the final paragraph is neglected. These persistent errors frequently strain the reader's understanding.

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

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