Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23

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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

There are seven stages,it began with coast being approached by winds and ends with dry winds reached inlands areas.

The first stage is that the winds that come close to oceans near the coastal areas.Winds then pushed upwards toward the altitude. Subsequently, moving toward highest point the wind become cold and rises moist air rapidly .On fourth steps, there is formation of clouds reached near windward side as it moving upward to the highest point.

It become rainy clouds and after that raining start on the peaks of mountains Following that dry air continues over mountain towards the leeward side. this dry air moves downward toward the ground side. This dry winds reach the inland areas. It moves toward the desert having shadows full of rain. The whole procedure occur and it cover thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe all seven stages of the rain-shadow desert formation shown in the diagram, beginning with winds approaching the coast and ending with dry winds reaching inland areas. However, there are notable inaccuracies in reporting the visual data; for instance, the writer states that the desert is 'having shadows full of rain', which completely contradicts the scientific reality and visual context of a rain-shadow desert being dry. Furthermore, the response falls short of the 144-word count (reaching only 144 words, which violates the 150-word minimum), resulting in a penalty for under-length. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of a clear overall summary or overview further limits the task achievement score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text is organized into basic paragraphs, but the overall progression is hampered by poor formatting and a lack of proper paragraphing, as the body is clumped together into one dense block after the introductory sentence. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively (e.g., 'The first stage is that...', 'On fourth steps...', 'Following that...'), and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'as it moving upward'. Although there is a chronological sequence attempted, the logical flow is disrupted by mechanical transitions and abrupt shifts between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on simple terms like 'winds', 'mountains', and 'air'. There are noticeable word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'raining start' instead of 'rain starts', 'ground side', and 'shadows full of rain'. Less common lexical items are attempted but used inaccurately or inappropriately given the context of the diagram. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the limited range and lack of precision restrict the score to a 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and awkward attempts at complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('it began with coast being approached... and ends with dry winds reached'), missing articles ('with coast being approached'), and incorrect verb forms ('as it moving upward', 'this dry winds reach'). These errors frequently cause strain for the reader and prevent the formation of secure, error-free complex structures.

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