Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-03

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 illustrate the how a rain shadow desert is formed on the leeward side of desert.

Overall, the formation of rain shadow desert involves the moist air toward the mountains followed by a rain falls on the windward side and the development of dry air condidtion on the opposite side

first warm and moist air rise toward the mountain range and moist convert into the vapours form and evaporate in the form of clouds. rain then falls on the windward side resulting relatively most of the moist wind turns into rain then the dry winds reach i the inland areas. its become dry and warm leave the leeward side at the coast of the sea.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response only partially addresses the task requirements. First, it fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, finishing significantly short at 116 words. Regarding the content, the student attempts to outline the stages of a rain-shadow desert's formation, covering the movement of moist air, cloud formation, precipitation on the windward side, and dry winds reaching inland areas. However, the description lacks sufficient detail and development, missing key geographical features labeled in the diagram such as the specific role of the mountains and the leeward side context. The overview attempts to capture the main idea, but the overall coverage remains basic, mechanical, and underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some basic organisation in the response, beginning with an introductory statement, followed by an overview, and then a brief description of the process. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the text suffers from a lack of proper paragraphing, being clumped into a single block of body text after the intro. Cohesive devices are either inadequate or awkwardly used; for example, the transition 'first warm and moist air' lacks proper punctuation and capitalisation. Referencing is also faulty, with ambiguous pronouns such as 'its become dry' making the logical sequence difficult to follow smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for describing a process, featuring noticeable errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. The student attempts some less common topical vocabulary like 'leeward side', 'windward side', and 'evaporate', but struggles with accurate word forms and collocations, such as writing 'rain falls' as a noun phrase or 'moist convert into the vapours form'. There are also awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'dry air condidtion' and 'resulting relatively most of the moist wind turns into rain', which highlight a restricted and repetitive control of lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammar demonstrates a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple clauses with frequent attempts at complex sentences that turn out faulty. There are constant errors in basic grammar, including subject-verb agreement ('The diagram illustrate'), missing articles ('how a rain shadow desert is formed'), punctuation errors, and incorrect verb forms ('moist air rise', 'its become dry'). These frequent errors can cause difficulty and strain for the reader, and there are very few error-free sentences throughout the entire text.

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