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 figure depicts the formation of a desert commonly known as rain shadow desert.

Overall, the process has seven different stages. Starting with wind when it approches beaches of sea and ended with dry winds reaching inland areas and formation of rain shadow desert.

When the wind approach the coastal area of sea it is pushed to upward side of mountains. Where wind further goes up absorb moisture, this moist air further rises up and then cools. Cooling of moist air result in formation of clouds which cause rainfall.

Dry wind moves down the mountain towrds leeward side and then dry winds reach the inland territories . The land shadow desert is formed in inland areas thousand of kilometer away from coastal areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student identifies the main topic—the formation of a rain-shadow desert—and outlines the seven key stages shown in the diagram, from winds approaching the coast to the creation of the desert on the leeward side. However, the response falls significantly short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 123 words. Consequently, the development of the main features is restricted and lacks the depth expected for a fully realized task response. There are also slight misinterpretations in the description of the physical process, such as stating that the wind 'absorb[s] moisture' as it goes up the mountain, whereas moist air typically rises from the sea before cooling. Due to the under-length penalty and limited extension of ideas, a lower band is warranted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text is organized into four brief paragraphs, starting with an introduction, an overview, and subsequent body paragraphs describing the sequential steps. Cohesive devices are used to signal progression, such as 'Starting with', 'When', and 'then'. However, referencing and transitions are sometimes mechanical or awkward, as seen in repetitive structures like 'this moist air further rises up and then cools' and 'then dry winds reach'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the overall progression feels disjointed due to the brevity of the sections and repetitive sentence openers. Cohesion is adequate for basic communication, but lacks the flexibility required for higher bands.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive. The student relies heavily on simple terms from the prompt, such as 'desert', 'winds', 'coastal area', 'mountain', and 'rain'. There are several word choice and spelling inaccuracies, including 'approches' instead of approaches, 'towrds' instead of towards, and the incorrect coinage 'land shadow desert' instead of rain-shadow desert. While the student attempts some less common vocabulary items related to the diagram (e.g., 'leeward side', 'territories'), errors in spelling and collocation reduce the precision and effectiveness of the lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using subordinate clauses introduced by 'When' and 'Starting with'. However, grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors including missing articles ('the wind approach', 'formation of clouds'), incorrect prepositions ('to upward side'), and punctuation slips. Additionally, there are structural awkwardness and fragments, such as 'Starting with wind when it approches beaches of sea and ended with dry winds reaching...'. These errors frequently cause strain for the reader and prevent the text from achieving a higher band.

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

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