Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26
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 outlines the stages of the formation of rain-shadow deserts.
Overall,it is clear that the process consists of seven stages:winds approach coast,winds pushed upwards,moist air rises and cools,clouds form,rain falls,dry air continues over mountain,dry winds reach inland areas.It begins with winds approach coast through sea and ends with after thousands of kilometres dry winds reach inland.
Initially,through sea winds approach coast and in the 2nd step winds are pushed upwards.Consecutivity,moist air rises and cools besides to windward side.Afterwards, clouds form and then rain falls.
Following this, after rain falls dry air continues over mountain next to leeward side.In the final stage,after thousands of kilometres through coast dry winds reach inland areas and after all these process rain-shadow desert is formed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response identifies the main process shown in the diagram, outlining the seven numbered steps from the winds approaching the coast to the formation of the rain-shadow desert. However, the response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, containing only 121 words. This results in a mechanical listing of steps without adequate extension, comparison, or description of the spatial relationships between the sea, the windward side, the leeward side, and the inland desert. Because the word count requirement is not met, the score is penalized accordingly.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs following the chronological stages of the diagram. However, cohesion is frequently faulty and mechanical. The student relies heavily on listing stages directly or using awkward transitional phrases such as 'Consecutivity' and 'Afterwards, clouds form and then rain falls.' Furthermore, paragraphing is underdeveloped, and referencing lacks natural flow. While the overall logical sequence of the process is discernible, the lack of sophisticated cohesive devices and the mechanical transitions limit the score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is repetitive and basic, heavily relying on direct lifting of terms from the diagram such as 'winds approach coast', 'moist air rises and cools', and 'rain-shadow desert'. There are awkward word choices and non-standard collocations, such as 'Consecutivity' instead of 'Consequently' or 'Next'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic steps of the process, it lacks the range, precision, and flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is weak. There are numerous punctuation and spacing errors throughout the text, such as missing spaces after commas ('Overall,it is clear') and incorrect word forms ('Consecutivity' used as an adverb). Prepositional usage is also frequently flawed, as seen in 'through sea winds approach coast' and 'besides to windward side'. These frequent errors occasionally impede communication, placing the response firmly in the band 5 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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