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 show how a desert named rain-shadow cameinto being. first of all, the winds from the sea approaches the coastal area of mountain where its steep pushes the wind upwards towards the windward side where wind mixes with moisture nd cools down after which clouds are formed. these moist clouds than raises towards the top of mountain where they cause rain fall from where dry air pushes down the mountain towards leeward side and reaches the inland. this dry wind formes the well-known deser name rain-shadow which is thousands of kilometer away from the coast of mountain and sea. the wind whih approach the coast canges into dry wind on the other side of it. due to dry air on the leeward side of mountain, it appears to be more steep and affected by air i its form.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main process: moist winds arrive from the sea, rise over the mountains, produce rain, and continue inland as dry air. This gives the reader a basic account of how the rain-shadow desert forms. However, some stages are unclear or inaccurately described: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form, whereas your account says the clouds then rise towards the mountain top. The final explanation that the leeward side “appears to be more steep” is not supported by the diagram. There is also no clear overview separating the overall pattern from the stages. The response is 139 words, below the required 150, so it needs more relevant detail to meet the task fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the process in a broadly sensible order, and sequencing phrases such as “first of all” and “after which” help show how one stage leads to another. However, the whole answer is presented as one long paragraph, so the main overview and the detailed stages are not clearly distinguished. Several ideas are joined into extended sentences, making the sequence harder to follow, particularly the sentence beginning “these moist clouds than raises”. The final two sentences repeat the change from moist to dry wind rather than adding a clearly organised concluding point. Use a short overview followed by a step-by-step paragraph, and make each stage’s connection to the next explicit without relying on long chains of clauses.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side”, “leeward side”, “moisture”, “coastal area” and “inland”, which helps communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “rain-shadow” and “precipitation” (though the latter is not used). However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward, including “came into being”, “steep pushes the wind”, “formes” and “well-known deser”. Spelling errors such as “whih” and “canges” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise process collocations, for example “winds are forced upwards” and “rain falls on the windward side”, and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect stages using subordinate clauses and sequencing, as in “where wind mixes with moisture and cools down after which clouds are formed”. This shows some willingness to use more than simple sentences. However, the response contains frequent errors in sentence structure and verb forms, and these sometimes make the process difficult to interpret. For example, “the winds from the sea approaches” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “these moist clouds than raises” has problems with both the verb form and clause construction. The long opening sentence also needs clearer punctuation and more controlled clause boundaries. Practise writing one accurate sentence for each stage, checking agreement, articles and tense before combining ideas.

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