Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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 4.5)

This diagram shows how rain-shadow desert is formed.There is all information given below.As well as there are pictures of information that helps us alot to understand this diagram.There are seven parts to form it.Under the wind approach costs,There is a sea.At the first,there is winds approach coasts,then with the help of arrow it goes to winds pushed upwards and after thaht there is moist air rises and cools.Then the clouds are formed.At the right of where clouds are formed,There is a side windward side.

And then it rains.In sixth part, the dry air continues over mountain and below this there is a leeward side at last the dry winds reach inland areas.Under the dry winds reach island areas there is inland.

We can see that there is mountain uner all of these where the rain-shadow deseert is formed.It is clearly step by step procedure that how rain-shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the diagram as a sequence and include several central stages: winds approach the coast, rise over the mountains, cool, form clouds, produce rain, and continue inland as dry winds. However, the account is only a partial summary of the process. It lacks a clear overview of the main cause-and-effect pattern, and some locations are confused: for example, you say the windward side is to the right of the clouds, and describe the inland area as being under the dry winds. The final outcome—the rain-shadow desert forming inland on the leeward side—is not clearly explained. Focus on the overall contrast between rainfall on the windward side and dry conditions beyond the mountains, then report the stages accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows the diagram’s numbered sequence, and connectors such as “then,” “and then,” and “at last” help the reader recognise the order of events. However, the ideas are not arranged into a clear overview followed by a well-organised account, and several sentences combine stage details with comments about the picture. Repeated references such as “there is” and “under” make relationships between features difficult to follow. For instance, “Under the dry winds reach island areas there is inland” does not clearly show where the inland area is. Group the stages into a concise introduction, an overview, and a chronological description, using precise references to the windward and leeward sides.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “dry air,” “windward side,” and “leeward side,” which shows awareness of the diagram’s terminology. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings reduce precision: “wind approach costs” appears to mean winds approaching the coast, “island areas” should refer to inland areas, and “deseert” is misspelled. Phrases such as “pictures of information” and “helps us alot to understand” are conversational and do not describe the process efficiently. Use accurate geographical terms and verbs such as “ascend,” “condense,” and “precipitate” where appropriate, while keeping the description clear and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to link stages with clauses, as in “then with the help of arrow it goes to winds pushed upwards,” but sentence structures are mostly simple or awkwardly joined. Frequent errors in articles, agreement, and verb forms make the description difficult to read smoothly: “rain-shadow desert is formed” needs an article, while “there is winds approach coasts” has incorrect agreement and structure. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops and unnecessary capitals after commas. Practise accurate present-simple process sentences, for example, “Moist air rises over the mountains and cools, forming clouds.” Clear sentence boundaries and consistent verb forms would improve control.

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