Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 diagram displays the process how one category of desert consider as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, the inital step starts with winds come toward coast from the sea level and ends with the dry air reaches the inland. And these is how rain-shadow deserts formed.

As the diagarm demonstrates the process how the rain-shadow is formed. At first, the air from the sea level approach coast. Then, the air travels upwards after colliding with mountains. Afterward, the air reaches the half way of the mountains and the winds change into moist air, the moist air raises and cools there. The moist air then reaches the windward side and forms a clouds. In the top of mountains the clouds start to fall a rain. In the next process, the clouds starts to travel downward. In the leeward side, dry air continues to travel over the mountain. In the end, the dry air reach the desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover the main stages of the diagram depicting the formation of rain-shadow deserts, starting from the winds approaching the coast and ending with dry air reaching inland areas. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and awkward phrasing when describing specific steps, such as stating that 'winds change into moist air' or that 'clouds start to fall a rain' at the top of the mountains. While an overview is attempted in the second paragraph, the overall development is limited and heavily reliant on a sequential, blow-by-blow narrative rather than a well-synthesized summary of the main features. Furthermore, important geographical labels such as the windward and leeward sides are mentioned, but the overall explanation lacks precision and structural integration. Consequently, the performance aligns best with Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is divided into three brief paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and a body section. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by repetitive phrasing ('the process how the rain-shadow is formed') and clumsy transitions like 'At first', 'Then', 'Afterward', and 'In the next process'. Cohesive devices are used mechanically rather than flexibly, and referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in sentences like 'And these is how rain-shadow deserts formed.' Paragraphing is poorly executed, as the overview is separated into its own very short, repetitive section that does not effectively summarize the key features before the detailed breakdown. These organizational and cohesive shortcomings place the response firmly in Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and heavily reliant on lifting terms directly from the diagram prompt (e.g., 'winds approach coast', 'moist air rises and cools', 'dry air continues'). There are frequent word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'consider as a rain-shadow desert' instead of 'considered', 'winds come toward coast', and 'fall a rain'. Attempts to use less common or academic vocabulary result in noticeable inaccuracies, such as 'inital step' (misspelled) and 'raises' instead of 'rises'. The lexical range is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic, but errors in word formation and collocation cause some difficulty for the reader, fitting the descriptors for Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The student demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent attempts at complex clauses that are grammatically flawed. Examples of grammatical errors include 'the process how one category of desert consider as a rain-shadow desert, is formed' (faulty relative clause and passive voice), 'winds come toward coast' (missing articles and prepositions), 'these is how rain-shadow deserts formed' (subject-verb agreement error and missing auxiliary), and 'the moist air raises' (confusing transitive and intransitive verbs). Punctuation is basic, and errors occur throughout the text, often straining comprehension. This indicates a grammar score of Band 4.0.

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

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