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 above diagram depicts the formation stages of how a rain Shadow desert forms. in this diagram we can see several progressive steps of the desert. the first and foremost step begins at the sea level. when the wind approaches the coast, it is pushes upwards because of the diagonal shape of the clif. while the wind is moving upward because of the windward slide, moist air rises and cools down. the fourth step consists of formation of the clouds because of og the moist air. at this point, the clouda are almost at the top corner of the mountain. the next step, make the rain fall from the clouds. now we are moving downward at the leeward side. the sixth step illustrates that the dry air keeps blowing over mountain. in the final and seventh stage of this forest we can see that the dry wind reaches the inland area and it forms the infamous rain shadow forest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response follows the main sequence from coastal winds to inland dry air and mentions several relevant stages, including uplift, cooling, cloud formation and rainfall. However, the account is largely a step-by-step retelling rather than a clear summary of the process’s overall pattern. It does not explain the key contrast between the wet windward side, where rain falls, and the dry leeward side, which creates the rain-shadow desert. The final claim that dry winds “form” the desert is also imprecise: the diagram shows them reaching inland areas where the desert is located. Focus on the overall cause-and-effect relationship and accurately distinguish the two mountain sides.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in roughly the order shown, and sequencing phrases such as “the first,” “the fourth step,” and “in the final…stage” help the reader follow the process. However, the response is one continuous paragraph and relies heavily on numbered-step language, so the progression feels mechanical rather than organised into a concise overview and a sequence of details. Some links are unclear: “now we are moving downward” does not clearly explain the transition from rainfall to dry air crossing the mountain. Group related stages and use cause-and-effect links, such as explaining that rain removes moisture before the air reaches the leeward side.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland area,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spelling errors reduce precision: “clif,” “slide,” “clouda,” and “forest” appear where the intended terms are cliff, side, clouds, and desert. “Infamous rain shadow forest” is especially unsuitable for a neutral academic description, and “the next step, make the rain fall” is not a natural collocation. Use accurate geographical terms consistently and choose neutral verbs such as “produces” or “results in” to describe the formation process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentences, for example, “while the wind is moving upward… moist air rises and cools down,” but most structures are simple or joined in a way that is difficult to control. Errors occur frequently, as in “it is pushes upwards,” “the next step, make the rain fall,” and “the dry air keeps blowing over mountain.” These problems affect sentence accuracy and sometimes make the relationships between stages unclear. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, including the lowercase opening and sentence starts. Practise forming complete clauses with a clear subject and verb, and check verb agreement, articles and sentence boundaries when editing.

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

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