Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 4.5)

The diagram outlines the stages of how a type of desert formation of rain shadow. Throughout the different stages.

Overall, there are seven stages in the process, beginning with wind approach coast and end with winds reach inland areas.

Initially, the winds approach sea coast then pushed to upwards through mountains. Therefore wind moist and cools and formed a cloud for rains.

Following this , the next process is going on and the dry air continues over mountain as leeward side. Furthermore the dry wind reaches the inland areas from the thousand kilometres

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is severely under-length, containing only 93 words compared to the required 150-word minimum. This significantly penalises the task achievement score, as the description of the rain-shadow desert formation process is incomplete and underdeveloped. Although the student attempts to outline the stages from winds approaching the coast to reaching inland areas, key details and comparisons are missing. The overview is fragmented, and important aspects such as the difference between the windward and leeward sides, condensation, and the precipitation mechanism are only superficially mentioned or omitted entirely. Because the word count requirement is not met, the response cannot achieve a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is divided into very short, broken paragraphs and single-sentence lines, which disrupts the logical flow. There is an attempt to sequence information using words like 'Overall', 'Initially', and 'Following this', but cohesion is often faulty or mechanical. For example, sentences such as 'Following this , the next process is going on' are redundant and awkward. Referencing and paragraphing are not used effectively to guide the reader through the linear process shown in the diagram.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, with frequent misuse of word forms and collocations. Examples include 'wind approach coast' instead of 'winds approach the coast' and 'wind moist and cools' instead of 'moist air rises and cools'. The student attempts some less common terms like 'formation', 'leeward side', and 'inland areas', but these are often embedded in ungrammatical structures that restrict precision and fluency. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the limited range and frequent word-choice errors constrain the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most sentences contain noticeable errors and lack complex sentence forms used accurately. There are frequent issues with missing articles, incorrect verb forms, and fragmented syntax, such as 'end with winds reach inland areas' and 'then pushed to upwards through mountains.' Punctuation is also problematic, with spacing errors around commas. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

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

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