Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The below diagram show how to rain creat and hoe its fall in the dry land . in summer the wind too hot above the sea the tempature of water rise slowly when the required tempature need then the water convert into steam and hot air pushed upwards . when all hot air collect in one place then they change into clouds form hot air push more and move to another cool place suddenly tempature down the dry air reach inland areas , dry air move the clouds thousands of kilometres in the deserts area .after some time the havey clouds filed with water they fall inland

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is severely under-length, containing only 107 words against the required 150-word minimum, which heavily restricts Task Achievement. Content-wise, the student attempts to describe the process of rain-shadow desert formation, mentioning winds, water temperature, steam, clouds, and inland movement. However, key stages from the diagram such as the windward and leeward sides, mountain barrier, and the specific rain-shadow effect are either missing or significantly distorted and inaccurate. The account of how water turns into steam and how clouds form is scientifically confused and does not accurately report the visual data provided in the prompt. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, leading to a band score of 4.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text lacks clear overall progression and logical organisation. It is written as a single dense block of text without proper paragraphing. Cohesive devices are largely absent or misused, resulting in run-on sentences and a lack of clear transitions between stages of the process. Referencing is unclear, with pronouns like 'they' and 'its' used ambiguously without clear antecedents. Although some chronological sequencing is attempted through phrases like 'after some time', the overall structure is difficult to follow, aligning closely with Band 4 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary used is basic, repetitive, and restricted to simple terms such as 'wind', 'hot', 'water', and 'clouds'. There are numerous word-choice and spelling errors, such as 'show' instead of 'shows', 'creat' for 'create', 'tempature' for 'temperature', 'havey' for 'heavy', and 'filed' for 'filled'. These lexical inaccuracies and the limited range of vocabulary make the text repetitive and occasionally strain the reader's understanding, reflecting the characteristics of a Band 4 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

Grammatical control is weak throughout the response. The text consists mostly of simple and attempted complex sentences that are heavily flawed, such as 'when the required tempature need then the water convert into steam'. There is a complete lack of punctuation, leading to run-on sentences and fragmented clauses. Errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure are very frequent and constantly impede communication, justifying a band score of 4.0.

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

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