Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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 figure illustrates the building of rain shadow desert.It consists of seven steps to formed rain shadow desert from the breeze arrived from the sea level.In the first step the layer of wind approaches coast area and then intermixes with the moist air moving in upwards direction and further the particles collection make a heavy cool environment and converts to clouds form.In the high altitude the combination of clouds makes a rain fall in the wind ward side.From the rain fall step the downfall occurs in the leewards side and the formation of dry wind comes to introduces and then the wit air touches the inland area and made a shadow with desert surface which glimpse like a shadow desert .The overall process show

the conversion of winds from one form to another during the upward and down ward movements through the sea levels ,and it also elaborates the procedure of how shadow converts into become rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a process and mention its seven steps, including winds arriving from the sea, rain falling on the windward side, and dry air reaching inland. These are relevant features, so the response addresses the topic. However, the account is only partly accurate and the overall explanation is unclear: for example, you say rain falls “in the leewards side,” whereas the diagram places rainfall on the windward side, and “downfall occurs” after this does not clearly describe the dry air crossing the mountain. The overview also focuses on winds changing form rather than clearly summarising the key cause-and-effect sequence. To strengthen the response, report the stages in order and explain that moist air rises, cools and forms clouds, then loses moisture as rain before descending as dry winds inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is an attempt to organise the description chronologically, signalled by phrases such as “In the first step” and “From the rain fall step.” The reader can also recognise a beginning, a sequence of stages and a concluding overview. However, most of the response is presented as one long paragraph, and the progression becomes difficult to follow when several events are joined in a single sentence. Connections such as “and then,” “further” and “from” are repetitive or do not clearly show the relationship between stages. The final sentence repeats the idea of transformation without providing a clear summary. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and process details, and connect each stage with precise sequencing and cause-and-effect language.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “high altitude,” “windward side” and “inland area,” which helps identify the process. There are also attempts to use less common expressions, but several choices are inaccurate or awkward and sometimes obscure the meaning. For instance, “building of rain shadow desert,” “particles collection,” “wit air” and “shadow converts into become” do not describe the diagram naturally. The repeated use of “step,” “wind” and “form” also limits precision. Aim for standard process vocabulary and accurate collocations, such as “the desert forms,” “air rises,” “moisture condenses,” “precipitation falls” and “dry air descends.” Check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine stages using longer sentences and subordinate clauses, for example, “In the first step … and then … and further…”. However, these complex constructions are often faulty, and the limited control makes relationships between actions hard to understand. Errors include “seven steps to formed,” “the overall process show,” and “how shadow converts into become,” involving verb forms and subject–verb agreement. Articles and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent: the opening runs directly into the next sentence after “desert,” and the final overview is broken across lines. Build accuracy with shorter, complete sentences first, then add controlled clauses. For example: “Moist air rises over the mountains and cools. Clouds form, and rain falls on the windward side.”

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