Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29

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 given diagram shows how the rain desert forms

It starts from the wind it approaches from one cost it pushed upwards it makes the air moist and cool with the help of this moist air clouds form it converts into rainfall all over the mountains wind also go towarfs the windward and leeward side and all above the mountains

On the otherside with continuous rainfall it makes the air continuous dry on the mountains

air comes towatds the leeward sidetjis cycle continuously happens to form a desert winds

approach from the seacoast to comlete this cycle when dry air reaches to mountains this dry wind comes towards the inland areas to form a desert this cylce continuously happens

In the conclusion we can say that the wind travels thoudand of kilometres to form a desert from seacoast to all above the mountains with the help of wind and rain it completes this cycle

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student attempts to describe the process of how rain-shadow deserts are formed, mentioning key features such as winds approaching the coast, rising over mountains, forming clouds and rain, and the resulting dry air on the leeward side. However, the response lacks a clear, structured overview and fails to properly synthesize the sequence of stages. Several descriptions are confusing or inaccurate, such as 'it converts into rainfall all over the mountains' and 'it makes the air continuous dry on the mountains'. Furthermore, important details like the sea, windward and leeward sides, and inland areas are awkwardly linked or integrated, leading to an under-developed summary of the visual data. This meets the criteria for Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text is divided into four paragraphs, which shows some basic awareness of organisation. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the logical flow is frequently disrupted by poor sentence boundary punctuation (e.g., run-on sentences like 'It starts from the wind it approaches from one cost it pushed upwards...'). Cohesive devices are either missing or repetitive, heavily relying on words like 'it' and 'this cycle continuously happens' to link ideas. Paragraphing is rudimentary, and referencing is often unclear, leaving the reader to decode which noun pronouns are substituting. This aligns with Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0 based on positive descriptor matching for basic paragraphing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic, repetitive, and restricted to everyday terms (e.g., 'wind', 'desert', 'mountains', 'rain', 'air'). There are numerous spelling errors and awkward word choices, such as 'cost' instead of 'coast', 'towarfs', 'towatds', 'sidetjis', 'cylce', and 'thoudand'. The student attempts some less common topic-related vocabulary like 'windward', 'leeward', and 'inland', but these are used incorrectly or with noticeable inaccuracy in collocation and spelling. The lexical range is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic, but errors frequently cause strain for the reader, placing it at Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The grammar is characterized by a very limited range of structures, consisting mostly of simple sentences strung together without punctuation or joined improperly with commas. There are frequent errors in verb forms, prepositions, and clause structures (e.g., 'wind it approaches from one cost it pushed upwards', 'air comes towatds the leeward sidetjis cycle continuously happens'). Complex structures are rarely attempted, and when they are, they are faulty. Punctuation is largely absent between independent clauses. These persistent, frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader and reflect Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0.

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