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 diagram illustrate that how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed. The diagram gives the information of formation of rain-shadow deserts

Overall, the mountain is located at the end of sea and the width of mountain is thousands of kilometers. However, the corner of the mountain which is associated with sea surface. When the winds blow towards the mountain then, they approaches the coast. Due to the mountain, the winds strikes and the mountain push the winds in windward side . Moreover, due to this, the air become moist and rises and become more cooler. Because of moist air, clouds form and after some time rain falls. The dry air gradually reduce passing through leeward side over mountains.

In contrast, the dry air reach inland areas ( area on the surface) and dry particles absorb in the soil of surface which made the land barren. As a result, rain-shadow desert formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to describe the stages involved in the formation of a rain-shadow desert, covering the main steps from winds approaching the coast, rising over mountains, precipitation on the windward side, and dry air descending on the leeward side to the inland desert. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the visual data, such as stating that 'the mountain is located at the end of sea' and confusing certain mechanistic details like 'dry particles absorb in the soil'. The overview is somewhat weak, as it mixes descriptive details into the opening sentences rather than providing a clear summary of the overall process. Furthermore, the response is just barely above the minimum word count, leading to some under-development of the explanation. Consequently, the performance aligns with Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is organized into three paragraphs, including an introduction, a body paragraph detailing the process, and a concluding sentence about the final stage. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward transitions and confusing sentence structures, such as starting sentences with 'However, the corner of the mountain which is associated with sea surface.' Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes incorrectly (e.g., 'In contrast' is used inappropriately to introduce the final stage of a continuous natural process where no contrast exists). Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas lacks smooth cohesion, resulting in a score of 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication but lacks precision and range for an academic task. The student employs basic terms like 'winds', 'mountain', 'clouds', and 'rain', but struggles with appropriate collocations and word forms (e.g., 'The diagram illustrate', 'air become moist and rises and become more cooler', 'rain-shadow desert formed' missing auxiliary verbs). There are also instances of awkward phrasing like 'dry particles absorb in the soil'. Less common lexical items are attempted but with frequent inaccuracies in word choice. This reflects the descriptors for Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The diagram illustrate'), missing articles and prepositions, and incorrect verb tenses or voices (e.g., 'rain-shadow desert formed' instead of 'a rain-shadow desert is formed'). Punctuation and sentence boundaries are occasionally misused, causing some strain for the reader. Given the high frequency of errors across basic and complex structures, a band score of 5.0 is appropriate.

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

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