Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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 shows the process by which a rain shadow desert came into being.

This all occurs mainly in four steps: when air strikes the coast than raised to windward side where it change into clouds then move to other side as it dried after rainfall. On the leeward side, it reaches the bottom inland.

The rain shadow is formed thousands of kilometers away from the sea. This wind travelled and covered long distances, and then finally converted into desert.

The wind reaching the coast of the sea is pushed upward ot rhe windward side. As it rises, it absorbs moisture and forms clouds. The clouds filled with moist air are the cause of rainfall on top of the mountain. After rainfall, the dry air moves to the other side of the mountain, which is the leeward side, where it moves downward and reaches the inland. The dry air causes the inland to form the rain shadow forest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main sequence—winds arrive from the sea, rise over the windward side, produce clouds and rain, then continue inland as dry air. However, the account only partially covers the diagram: the overview says there are “four steps” although the process has seven labelled stages, and some details are inaccurate. In particular, rising air cools rather than “absorbs moisture,” and the final feature is a “rain-shadow desert,” not a “rain shadow forest.” The description of the thousands-of-kilometres scale is also vague. To strengthen the response, give a concise, accurate overview of the full process and distinguish clearly between the wet windward slope and the dry leeward inland area.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic progression from the coast and mountain to the inland area, and the final paragraph gives the stages in a broadly understandable order. However, the organisation is not consistently clear: the opening summary, the separate statement about distance, and the later detailed account repeat information without developing a clear paragraph structure. Linking is also sometimes awkward, as in “when air strikes the coast than raised to windward side,” which makes the relationship between stages difficult to follow. Use one paragraph for an overview and another for the sequence, and connect stages with precise transitions such as “as a result,” “once rainfall has occurred,” and “on the leeward side.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “rainfall,” and “inland,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also some variety in expressions such as “pushed upward” and “moves downward.” However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear: “rain shadow forest” misnames the outcome, “came into being” is less suitable than a direct process description, and “the clouds filled with moist air” is imprecise. The spelling slips “ot” and “rhe” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms from the diagram, such as “rain-shadow desert,” “moist air,” and “precipitation,” and check spelling and natural combinations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including “As it rises, it absorbs moisture and forms clouds” and “After rainfall, the dry air moves to the other side of the mountain.” These structures show some range, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors recur in sentence construction and verb forms. For example, “when air strikes the coast than raised” lacks a correctly formed second clause, while “where it change into clouds” has incorrect agreement and an unclear subject. “The rain shadow is formed thousands of kilometers away” also uses an awkward passive construction for describing the diagram. Build complete clauses with consistent present simple verbs, and check agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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

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