Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-13

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 diagram illustrates the process by which how one type of desert, known as a desert,is formed. It outlines each stage from the initial step through to the final outcome.Overall, the process comprises seven distinct sequence. It begins with winds approach coast and concludes with dry winds reach inland areas. Throughout the process mountains are gradully transformed into rain shawdow desert. At the outset, winds approach takes place, during which winds transformed into coast.Once this step has been completed , winds pushed upwards occurs, follwed by moist air rises and cools, where clouds form is used.The resulting material is then trated before moving into next phase.In the subsequent stage, rain fallsis carried out,allowing windsward side.Afterward, thr product undergoes dry air continues over mountain.Ultimately, the process concludes dry reach areas to produce the final outcome of rain shadow desert that is ready for consumpauion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response recognises that the diagram presents a sequence and mentions several relevant stages, including winds approaching the coast, air rising, rain falling and dry winds moving inland. However, the account is only minimally successful in describing the actual process: several stages are unclear or misrepresented, and the overview incorrectly says that “mountains are gradually transformed into rain shadow desert.” The mountains do not transform; the desert forms inland on the leeward side after dry air crosses the mountain range. The response also falls short of the required 150 words; eight words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count. To improve, accurately explain the windward-to-leeward progression and include the key cause-and-effect links, especially cooling, cloud formation, rainfall and the resulting dry conditions inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a recognisable attempt to organise the response from an introduction and overview through to a sequence of stages. Linking expressions such as “At the outset,” “Once this step has been completed,” “Afterward” and “Ultimately” help signal order. However, progression is weakened because the stages are often joined in confusing or incomplete statements, for example, “where clouds form is used” and “allowing windsward side.” The overview also repeats the sequence rather than clearly summarising the main process. Use one paragraph for a concise overview and another to explain the stages in logical groups, connecting each cause to its result. Avoid transitions that imply a process step without explaining what happens.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-related vocabulary, including “coast,” “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain falls” and “inland areas,” and attempts process language such as “initial step” and “final outcome.” However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled expressions make the description difficult to follow: “rain shawdow,” “gradully,” “follwed,” “trated” and “consumpauion.” Some phrases also do not fit the diagram, such as “resulting material” and “ready for consumption,” which suggest a manufactured product rather than a natural process. Build a precise set of terms for the stages and locations, and use natural collocations such as “air rises,” “moisture condenses,” and “rain falls on the windward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

There is an attempt to use both simple statements and longer clauses, including “It begins with…” and “Once this step has been completed…”. However, grammatical control is weak: errors are frequent and sometimes obscure the intended meaning. For example, “by how one type of desert…is formed” contains an unnecessary “how,” while “winds approach coast” and “dry winds reach inland areas” are used as clauses without suitable grammatical framing. The sentence “mountains are gradually transformed into rain shadow desert” also gives the wrong relationship between subject and process. Several sentences lack a clear main clause or have faulty verb forms, as in “rain fallsis carried out.” Practise forming complete sentences with accurate subjects and verbs, and check articles, plurals, tense and punctuation.

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