Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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 illustrate the step by step process of how a rain shadow desert, is formed over vast distance extending thousand of kilometres.

Overall, the process begins over the sea, air moving across high mountain side range and results heavy rainfall on the windwar side while creating dry air in leeward side.

The begins over the sea, winds approach coast moving the winds pushing upwards then converting the moist air rises and cools. The begins of windward side make the clouds form. At top of mountain starting heavy rainfall and moving the downside convering the dry air continues over mountain going to leeward side. In very downside going to dry winds reach inland areas at bottom of rain shadow desert.

Firstly continuse moving the moist air upward side and the gadually down side dry air at the bottom of rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main sequence from sea to inland and mention the key contrast between rainfall on the windward side and dry conditions beyond the mountains. However, the process is only partially described: several stages are compressed or unclear, and the overview does not clearly explain that moist air rises, cools and forms clouds before rain falls, leaving dry air to cross the mountains. The final inland desert is mentioned, but its formation is not fully explained. The response also contains 141 words, so it does not meet the 150-word minimum. To strengthen the report, describe each stage accurately and in order, and explain the cause-and-effect relationship between rainfall and the dry leeward area.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is an attempt to organise the report with an overview and sequencing language such as “Overall” and “Firstly,” and the broad movement from the sea towards inland areas can be followed. However, the progression is difficult to track because the stages are repeated or placed in confusing order. For example, “The begins over the sea” appears twice, while the final paragraph repeats the movement of moist and dry air without adding a clear next stage. Several sentences also join multiple steps without clear links, making the sequence hard to follow. Use one paragraph for the overview and one for the ordered stages, with clear links such as “as a result” and “after crossing the mountain.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rainfall,” “windward side,” and “leeward side,” which helps identify the diagram’s main features. There is also an attempt to describe movement with phrases such as “winds approach coast” and “dry winds reach inland areas.” However, word choice and spelling errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to understand, as in “windwar,” “convering,” and “gadually.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise, including “high mountain side range” and “in very downside.” Aim for accurate forms and standard collocations, such as “mountain range,” “on the leeward side,” and “gradually descends.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the overview uses a contrast between rainfall and dry air. However, grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes obscure the process. The opening, “The illustrate the step by step process,” lacks a correctly formed subject and verb. In “The begins over the sea,” the sentence is incomplete, while “the moist air rises and cools” is embedded awkwardly in a longer sequence. Articles and plurals are also often missing or inconsistent, as in “approach coast” and “thousand of kilometres.” Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb for each stage, and check articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries.

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

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