Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 flowchart diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts. It starts from the sea when the winds approaches the coastal area, from their winds pushed upwards in the windward side of mountains where windy air rises and it becomes moist and cool. In the atmosphere when moist air becomes cool it form clouds. Clouds when at the peak of mountains form precipitates in the form of rain falls.

When rain falls from the atmosphere towards the earth dry air continues over the mountain at leeward side. At last, dry winds reach the land areas. The formation of rain-shadow dessert when winds approaches from coastal area of sea towards the land areas by crossing thousands of kilometres.

When winds were moving upwards, towards the windward side it form clouds which form precipitates conversely, when dry air moves towards the leeward side after rain falls at the peak of mountain it reaches the inland areas and form the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process and report its main sequence: winds arrive from the sea, rise over the mountains, rain falls on the windward side, and dry air continues inland. This gives the reader a relevant account of how the desert forms. However, the description is only partly accurate and developed. For example, “windy air rises and it becomes moist” reverses the diagram’s sequence: the air is already moist, then rises and cools. The overview is also not clearly separated from the stages, and the final reference to “thousands of kilometres” does not explain the diagram’s horizontal scale. To strengthen the response, state the overall contrast between rainfall on the windward side and dry conditions beyond the leeward side, then describe each stage precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has some organisation: the first paragraph introduces the process and describes the early stages, while the next follows the air beyond the mountain. However, progression is weakened by repeated information. The final paragraph restates that winds rise, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air reaches inland areas rather than adding a new stage or useful summary. Linking phrases such as “At last” and “conversely” do not always express the relationship clearly, and references such as “it” and “when rain falls” can make the sequence harder to follow. Organise the account in a single clear progression, using one concise overview followed by the stages in order, and avoid repeating the same events.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “coastal area,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also some attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “formation” and “precipitates.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “windy air” is not the same as moist air, “form precipitates” is an awkward description of rainfall, and “dessert” is a spelling error for “desert.” Repetition of “winds,” “clouds,” and “rain falls” also limits range. Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “moist air,” “condensation,” and “precipitation,” while checking spelling and avoiding unnecessary synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including clauses beginning with “when” and “where,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in agreement and verb forms occur in “the winds approaches,” “it form clouds,” and “it becomes moist and cool.” Some sentence structures are also difficult to follow, particularly “from their winds pushed upwards,” which lacks a clear grammatical connection to the preceding clause. Articles and plurals are not consistently controlled, as in “at leeward side” and “at the peak of mountain.” These errors sometimes make the sequence less clear. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and build complex sentences around one clear main clause, checking each clause for a subject and a correctly formed verb.

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