Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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 figure illustrate the formation of rainshadow desert from coastline to inland desert over thousands of kilometers.

The process consists of sevent distinct stages.The step start from wind approach coast as it is pushed upward along gradient from windward side by moist air which results in the formation of precipitaion . As clouds appear on the sky they cause rain,subsequently rain falls on the peak of the mountains on the leeward side. Additionly dry air continues to rise on mountain. Consequently, dry wind reach inland areas and rain shadow desert is formed. results in the formation of rainshadow desrt from sea it takes a long duration and travells distance of about thousands of kilometers .This is also known as dry region that forms on the side of a mountain range facing away from wind.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response makes a clear attempt to summarise the diagram illustrating the formation of rain-shadow deserts, noting key stages from the sea across the mountains to inland areas. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the sequence of the process; for instance, the writer states that rain falls 'on the peak of the mountains on the leeward side,' whereas precipitation occurs on the windward side. Furthermore, the response falls short of the minimum word requirement, containing only 134 words against the required 150. This under-length limitation directly impacts the overall task coverage and development of the response, keeping the score down.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response shows a basic level of organisation, attempting to trace the process from the coastline to the inland desert. However, the progression is hindered by poor paragraphing, as the text consists of a single block with broken flow and multiple run-on thoughts. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes awkward, such as 'Additionly' and 'Consequently,' and referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in sentences like 'results in the formation of rainshadow desrt from sea it takes a long duration.' While there is an overall linear structure corresponding to the diagram, the mechanical cohesion and lack of clear paragraph structure restrict the score to band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for describing a geographical process, featuring terms such as 'coastline,' 'moist air,' 'precipitation,' 'mountain range,' and 'inland areas.' However, there are numerous spelling errors and typos throughout the text, including 'illustrate' instead of 'illustrates,' 'sevent' for 'seven,' 'precipitaion,' 'Additionly,' 'travells,' and 'desrt.' Furthermore, word choice and collocation are sometimes unnatural, as seen in 'As clouds appear on the sky.' Although the writer attempts some less common vocabulary, the frequency of lexical errors and spelling mistakes impacts readability, placing the response firmly at band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The step start from wind approach coast as it is pushed upward...' and 'As clouds appear on the sky they cause rain...' However, grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The figure illustrate,' 'The step start'), missing articles (e.g., 'wind approach coast'), and incorrect prepositions. Punctuation is also problematic, with missing spaces after periods and awkward comma splices. While the meaning can generally be deciphered, the high density of structural errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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