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 DIGRAM SHOWS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FORMATION OF RAIN-SHADOW DESERT.

OVERALL, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT STEPS, WHICH ARE START FROM THE SEA AND END UP ON MAKING RAIN-SHADOW DESERT.

FIRSTLY, WINDS APPROACH COAST FROM THE SEA AND PUSHED WINDS UPWORDS. IN THE 3RD STEP, MOIST AIR RISE AND COOLS, AFTER THAT CLOUDS ARE FORMED. MOREOVER,FROM THOSE CLOUDS RAINFALL DOWN ON THE MOUNTAINS, DRY AIR CONTINUES OVER THE MOUNTAINS LEEWARD SIDE.

FURTHER MORE, DRY WINDS REACH IN INLAND AREA, WHICH CALLED THE RAIN-SHADOW DESERT. THIS WHOLE PROCESS TAKES THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS OF AREA TO MAKE ONE TYPE OF DESERT.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count of 150 words, containing only 100 words. Consequently, the information is not fully developed. While the student attempts to outline the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation—such as winds approaching the coast, moist air rising, and dry winds reaching inland areas—the description remains brief and lacks sufficient detail. There is an attempt at an overview, but it is superficial and overly simplistic. Due to the severe under-length penalty and the lack of full development across the process steps, the task achievement is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is divided into four very short paragraphs, including single-sentence paragraphs. There are basic attempts at logical sequencing using sequencing words such as 'OVERALL', 'FIRSTLY', and 'FURTHER MORE'. However, the overall organisation feels disjointed due to the fragmentation of ideas and the extremely short length of the response. Cohesive devices are mechanically applied, and paragraphing is underdeveloped. Referencing between sentences lacks fluency, resulting in a choppy reading experience. Overall progression is hindered by the lack of cohesive ties connecting the separate steps of the diagram effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive. The student relies heavily on direct lifting from the prompt, such as 'FORMATION OF RAIN-SHADOW DESERT', 'WINDS APPROACH COAST', and 'DRY AIR CONTINUES'. There are notable lexical and spelling errors, such as 'DIGRAM' instead of diagram and 'UPWORDS' instead of upwards. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are absent, and word choices are limited to what is directly visible in the visual stimulus. This restricts the range of vocabulary to a minimally adequate level for basic communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most sentences are simple or attempt complex structures that result in significant errors, such as 'which are start from the sea' and 'moist air rise and cools' (lack of subject-verb agreement). Capitalisation is incorrectly used throughout the text for entire sentences, which is a major punctuation error. Grammatical inaccuracies are frequent and occasionally impede smooth reading, reflecting poor control over verb forms and sentence construction.

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