Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-27

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)

This diagram illustrate the formation of rain shadow deserts and it display the process how the wind transformed into rain, and how wind modified into dry wind and reached at inland.

With the help of this diagram, we summarise all the information. We have the sea at the left corner, and rain-shadow desert located at right corner. In between we a have number of mountains spread on thosands of kilometes.

In initiatization, winds approach coast suffering above the surface of sea and then it pushed upwards to the side of mountains. It start converstion in moist air and still moving upward, and half of air reformed into clouds shape. These clouds are the reson of raining.

At the next stage, the dry air cross the mountians and travels thousands of kilometers and moves downword to the side of deserts. it cross the leeward side and then the dry wind reach inland areas.

We discussed how winds travels thosand of kilometers and we justify all the process during the trip.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The candidate attempts to describe the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation shown in the diagram. However, the response suffers from several severe structural and content issues. For instance, the opening sentences contain awkward phrasing ("This diagram illustrate... and it display the process how the wind transformed into rain...") and the summary paragraphs at the beginning and end break formal academic tone by directly addressing the reader ("With the help of this diagram, we summarise all the information"). Furthermore, the description of the process misses several key spatial and sequential details from the prompt, such as the windward and leeward designations and the exact transition from moist air to clouds and precipitation. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, earning a Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text is organized into four brief paragraphs, but the overall progression of ideas is hindered by repetitive phrasing and unnatural transitions. For example, the student writes meta-commentary at the start and end of the essay rather than presenting a pure academic overview. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes misused, such as "In initiatization" instead of "Initially" or "At the first stage". Paragraphing is attempted, but the connection between the sentences lacks smooth flow, leading to a choppy reading experience. Pronoun referencing is also weak, with ambiguous phrasing like "half of air reformed into clouds shape." This level of organization aligns with Band 5.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic, repetitive, and restricted, with noticeable errors in word choice and morphology. Examples include "converstion" instead of "conversion", "reson" instead of "reason", "downword" instead of "downward", and "thosands of kilometes" instead of "thousands of kilometres". The student also repeats simple verbs like "approach", "push", and "travel" without demonstrating a flexible or wide range of lexical items. While meaning can generally be deciphered, the frequency of spelling mistakes and awkward collocations limits the score to Band 4.5, rounded to Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Grammatical control is weak throughout the response. There are numerous basic errors in subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, such as "This diagram illustrate" (instead of illustrates) and "winds approach coast suffering above" (instead of sweeping). Simple sentence structures predominate, and attempts at more complex structures frequently result in serious structural errors and incorrect preposition usage (e.g., "reached at inland", "moves downword to the side of deserts"). Punctuation is basic. Because errors are frequent and occasionally impede smooth understanding, the grammar is indicative of a Band 4.5, rounded to a Band 5.0.

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

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