Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18

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)

This flow charts illustrates the formation of rain shadow in deserts area

By taking the general overview , in this include a several stages in formation of rain . Its start with wind crossed the sea cost and its end with dry wind reached in island area .

firstly, wind was crossed the sea area then winds was moved upwards direction . After that wind was rised in air and become more coller as compared to lower level air . In the next step ,wind was changed into clouds form to raining

After changed into the raining clouds than rain was started at the top of moutains . Through rain at the moutain dried air continues spread over the mountain . In the last stage , dried rain reached the island areas and the rain shadow created at the deserts area

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe the diagram showing the formation of a rain-shadow desert, noting the progression from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. However, the task achievement is hindered significantly by the word count falling below the 150-word minimum, containing only 141 words. Furthermore, key features such as the distinct roles of the windward and leeward sides of the mountains, as well as the scale of 'thousands of kilometres', are omitted or unclearly expressed (e.g., confusing 'inland' with 'island'). While the sequential steps are touched upon, the explanation remains underdeveloped and lacks a comprehensive overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text attempts a logical progression by following the numbered stages of the diagram, beginning with 'firstly' and moving through subsequent steps. However, the paragraphing is poor, consisting of very short, disjointed sentences and broken paragraphs that disrupt the flow. Cohesive devices are repetitive and basic (e.g., 'After that', 'In the next step', 'After changed into'), and referencing is sometimes confusing, such as referring to inland areas as 'island areas'. Overall arrangement shows some basic organization, but cohesion is mechanical and faulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is very limited and repetitive, with frequent word choice and spelling errors that strain the reader's understanding. Examples include 'coller' instead of 'cooler', 'rised' instead of 'rose', 'raining' instead of 'rain', and confusing 'inland' with 'island'. The student attempts less common terms related to the process, such as 'winds approach coast' and 'moist air', but inaccurate lexical control and poor morphological forms restrict the range to a basic level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The grammatical range is extremely limited, relying heavily on simple structures and repetitive passive or active constructions with frequent errors. There are constant issues with tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, and word formation (e.g., 'wind was crossed', 'winds was moved', 'dried rain reached'). Complex sentence forms are rare and generally faulty. Errors are frequent and can cause some difficulty and confusion for the reader throughout the text.

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

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