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 Illustration display formation of a type of desert named rain-shado desert.

Overall, in the diagram serval stages inculde winds from sea to inland which covers almost 1000 kilometres to make a formation of rain shadow deserts.like how winds make moist air sises make clouds rains falls and a mountain stop the rain process to make a rain shadow desert.

Process start from sea winds collied with montains make a process of moist in air causes make clouds and rain fall on the top of the mountain in stage 5.

In stage 6 process are changed and dry aur continues over mountain due to rain in top of one side of mountain and in stage 7 dry winds reach to the inland area which cause to make rain shadow desert

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main process: moist air rises, rain falls on the mountain’s sea-facing side, and dry air continues inland to create a rain-shadow desert. This is relevant, but the account is only partial and some stages are unclear or inaccurate. For example, the diagram shows winds approaching the coast and being forced upwards before the air cools and clouds form; your description compresses these steps into “winds collied with montains.” The claim that the process “covers almost 1000 kilometres” is not supported: the diagram labels the horizontal distance as thousands of kilometres. The overview also needs to summarise the full contrast between the wet windward side and dry leeward side. The response is 20 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail you can provide. Describe each stage in order and report the scale accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response with an opening, an overview, and descriptions of earlier and later stages. The references to stages 5, 6, and 7 help the reader follow part of the sequence. However, progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph combines the overview with several process details, and the next paragraph jumps to the start before returning to stage 5. Linking is also repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “make” and “process,” while the final sentence joins several ideas without clear boundaries. Use one paragraph for the overview, then explain the stages in chronological order, with clear links such as “As a result” and “After crossing the mountain.” This would make the sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain,” “dry winds,” and “inland,” so the reader can recognise the topic. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled choices make parts difficult to understand, such as “rain-shado,” “serv(al) stages,” “sises,” and “dry aur.” Some phrases are also imprecise or unnatural, including “make a formation” and “the rain process.” Aim for accurate terms from the diagram, such as “windward side,” “leeward side,” “rises,” and “precipitation,” and use natural process collocations like “forms a rain-shadow desert.” Proofreading spelling and choosing precise verbs would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to use both simple statements and longer cause-and-effect sentences, but the longer structures are often faulty, and grammatical errors frequently make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “The Illustration display formation” lacks correct subject–verb agreement and an article, while “Overall, in the diagram serval stages inculde winds…” does not form a clear sentence. In “Process start from sea winds collied with montains,” the verb form and sentence structure are also problematic. The final sentence beginning “in stage 7” contains an unclear clause structure. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, then connect them with “when,” “because,” or “as.” Check articles, verb forms, agreement, and sentence boundaries before adding more complex clauses.

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