Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

it is a huge mountain which top is covered with clouds its start the process and its thousands of kilometers the winds approach coast and the sea on it down convert water in gs wind push upward it moist air rises and cool then cloud forms and rain falls dry airs continues oveer mountain top and dry wind reach in inlnad areas rains shawdo desert the wind came from left sife to the right side of the mountiains

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify several central stages, including winds approaching the coast, air rising and cooling, rain falling, and dry winds reaching inland. This shows a minimal response to the process, but the account is too brief and incomplete to summarise its main features adequately. The overview is unclear: the opening focuses on a “huge mountain” rather than explaining that moist air loses rain on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert inland on the leeward side. Some details are difficult to interpret, such as “down convert water,” and the direction of movement is only briefly stated at the end. The response is 78 words, below the required 150. Add a clear overview and explain the stages and locations more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows a rough sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, so a reader can recognise the intended process. However, the ideas are not arranged coherently enough to make the stages easy to follow. Almost the entire account is one run-on sequence, with no clear separation between an overview and the process details. Connections such as “and,” “then,” and “and” are repeated or used where the relationship between ideas is unclear. For example, “its start the process and its thousands of kilometers” interrupts the sequence rather than linking relevant information. Use separate sentences or paragraphs and clear sequencing language, such as “first,” “as a result,” and “finally,” to show how each stage leads to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “winds,” “coast,” “clouds,” “rain falls,” and “inland areas,” which helps identify the topic. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled expressions make the description difficult to understand. Examples include “rains shawdo desert,” “dry airs,” and “wind push upward.” Some wording is also imprecise: “down convert water” does not clearly describe what happens to the moisture. Aim to use accurate terms from the diagram, such as “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” and check spelling carefully. This will make the basic vocabulary more reliable and reduce strain on the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

The response attempts to describe a sequence, but it relies on a very limited range of sentence structures and frequent grammatical errors sometimes distort the meaning. For instance, “it is a huge mountain which top is covered with clouds” has problems with the relative clause and possessive form; “the winds approach coast” is missing an article; and “wind push upward” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. The long sequence of clauses also lacks clear sentence boundaries and punctuation, making relationships between stages hard to follow. Practise writing short, complete sentences first, with accurate articles and verb forms, then combine related stages using simple connectors. For example: “Moist air rises over the mountain and cools. Clouds form, and rain falls on the windward side.”

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.