Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-05

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 presents how rain-shadow desert is formed with one tupe of desert. The process took place in seven steps

A cursory glance at the diagrams shows that from the sea the wind approach the coast means wind touches the surface of see and then the wind is pushed upwards. Moreover, the rise air is moisted and cooled which hepled in make clouds. The clouds are formed when the moist air reached the windward side.

By looking at the diagram, it can be seen that the rain is started falling when it is at the peak of desert. In addition, The dry are is continued over the mountain and it reached the leeward side. Below the leeward side area, the dry wind is reached the inland area. Further, Inland is buried under the desert . So, it is a whole process of rain shadow desert.

After analyzing the diagram, it give us whole information about formation of rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to describe the diagram showing how a rain-shadow desert is formed, the coverage of the stages is incomplete and lacks a clear overview of the overall process. Several key features of the diagram are missed or inadequately reported, and some details are inaccurate, such as stating that 'the rain is started falling when it is at the peak of desert' rather than on the windward side and peak of the mountains. Ideas are limited and under-developed, relying on disjointed sentences rather than a fully synthesised summary of the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation in the response, but it lacks a clear overall progression. The paragraphing is somewhat erratic, with very short, disconnected paragraphs that fail to group information logically. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately, such as 'A cursory glance at the diagrams shows that from the sea the wind approach the coast means wind touches the surface of see...', which creates a jarring reading experience. Referencing is also unclear in places, making it difficult to follow the logical flow of the seven-step process.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The lexical range is limited but minimally adequate for conveying basic ideas about the diagram. There are numerous noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word form that cause difficulty for the reader, such as 'tupe' instead of 'type', 'rise air' instead of 'rising air', 'moisted' instead of 'moistened', and 'dry are' instead of 'dry air'. These vocabulary inaccuracies and spelling slips prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple patterns and basic attempts at complex sentences that are often faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors, including incorrect verb tenses and forms ('the wind approach', 'is started falling', 'it reached', 'is reached'), missing articles, and awkward prepositional phrases. These frequent errors cause strain and difficulty for the reader throughout the text.

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

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