Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-08

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 given demonstrate the formation of a particular type of desert which is known by shadow desert.This process contain 7 steps to the desert to be formed.

Starting from the sea level the winds approaches to the coast of the sea.

And the winds pushed upwards from the coast easily because there is no offensive force from above. When the moist air which rises from the sea level cool down at the windward side with the upwards temperature. And after cooling doen. It changes it form to clouds.Moreover, a rain fall happened from these clouds.

Further more the the dry air continues its journey downwards over mountains. In leeward side along with the mountain. At the final and last stage of the process the dry winds reaches to the inland areas. when the dry winds reach it form a rain-shadow desert. And that is the all process rain-shadow desert was mad by.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response identifies the diagram as a process and reports most of its main stages, including winds approaching the coast, rising and cooling air, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry winds reaching inland. This gives the reader a broadly accurate account. However, the overview is limited to saying there are seven steps; it does not clearly summarise the key cause-and-effect pattern: moist air loses its moisture on the windward side, leaving dry air to cross the mountains and create a desert on the leeward side. Some details are unclear or inaccurate, such as “upwards temperature” and the claim that the winds rise because there is “no offensive force from above.” Clarifying the windward/leeward contrast and describing the desert’s inland location more precisely would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in roughly the correct order, and the paragraph break separates the initial movement and rainfall from the later inland stages. Basic links such as “Moreover,” “Further more,” and “At the final and last stage” help signal sequence. However, progression is weakened by awkward or incomplete transitions: “When the moist air which rises…” is not a complete sentence, while “And after cooling doen” is detached from the preceding idea. The final sentence repeats the conclusion rather than adding information, and references such as “it” in “when the dry winds reach it form” are unclear. Organising the process into a concise overview followed by clearly linked stages, and using fewer but more precise connectors, would improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “dry winds,” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “offensive force” does not describe the air’s movement, “upwards temperature” is unclear, and “changes it form” is not an appropriate way to describe cloud formation. There are also spelling and word-form problems such as “cool down,” “cooling doen,” and “was mad.” Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “is forced upwards,” “cools,” “condenses,” and “forms a rain-shadow desert.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

There are attempts to combine ideas using subordinate clauses, but complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some relationships unclear. For instance, “When the moist air which rises from the sea level cool down…” lacks a main clause and has subject–verb disagreement; “And after cooling doen. It changes it form…” is fragmented; and “when the dry winds reach it form a rain-shadow desert” has an unclear structure and missing agreement. Basic forms also need attention, as in “the winds approaches” and “the dry winds reaches.” Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement, articles, and tense. Shorter accurate sentences would help communicate the sequence before you attempt more complex structures.

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