Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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 illustrate that a coast line thousand kilometre above sea. windcoast move toward the uperside side of mountain and and become rain at windward side while the other side remain dry of mountain where the formation of rain shodow form at leeward.

overview of this diagram show that when the cool wind raise and make precipitate of this cool wind after that rain fall at the windward side of the mountain and on the other side dry air continues and move leeward side and form rain shadow desert.

Air move from sea level to coastline above thousand kilometre when it aproach to the coast wind pushes upwards then mois air raises and become cold after that could formation accure than cause the rain fall at windward side of mountain.

After that rain falls on the other side of the mountain dry air start to move downward and leeward side dry wind rich toward the inland areas.In thid area the rain shadow desert form.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main process from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching inland, and you identify the key contrast between rain on the windward side and desert formation on the leeward side. The overview also captures the sequence of moist air rising, cooling and producing rain before dry air continues inland. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: “a coast line thousand kilometre above sea” misrepresents the diagram’s horizontal scale, which is thousands of kilometres, and the description does not clearly explain that the mountains force the air upwards. The stages are relevant, but some are repeated rather than developed precisely. To strengthen the response, give a concise overview and describe each stage once, accurately distinguishing the windward and leeward sides.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a recognisable sequence, and the paragraph breaks suggest an attempt to separate the overview from the process details. The reader can broadly follow the movement from the sea and coast, over the mountains, and towards the inland desert. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the overview repeats much of the first paragraph, and the final two paragraphs describe similar stages again. Linking expressions such as “after that” are used repeatedly, while some sentences run together without clear punctuation, for example “areas.In thid area”. Organise the response into a brief introduction and overview followed by a single, ordered account of the stages. Use a wider range of clear sequencing links and ensure each sentence advances the explanation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use several relevant terms for the process, including “windward side”, “leeward side”, “moist air”, “dry air” and “rain shadow desert”. These show an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary rather than relying entirely on general words. However, spelling and word-choice errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow: “rain shodow”, “aproach”, “could formation” and “wind rich” appear to be intended as “rain-shadow”, “approach”, “clouds form” and “winds reach”. Some combinations are also unnatural, such as “become rain” and “make precipitate”. Aim for accurate process collocations, for example “air rises and cools”, “clouds form”, and “rain falls”. Proofreading spelling and choosing standard terms would make your meaning more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect stages in longer sentences, using forms such as “when” and “after that”, and the overall process can usually be understood. However, sentence control is inconsistent. The opening, “the diagram illustrate that a coast line…”, has subject–verb agreement and article problems, while “when the cool wind raise” also has an incorrect verb form. Several clauses are joined without clear boundaries, as in “then mois air raises and become cold after that…”, and the repeated “and and” disrupts the sentence. These errors sometimes obscure relationships between stages. Build accuracy first with clear simple sentences, then add controlled subordinate clauses: for example, “As moist air rises over the mountain, it cools and clouds form.” Check agreement, verb forms, articles and punctuation during revision.

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