Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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 illustrates how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed. Overall, the process ocurre in several steps in which most of steps happend on the thousands of kilometers mountains.

At first, wind approach from sea to coast where mountain pushing the air upwards in second step through wind side where the moist air rises and getting cold in third step and change into clouds form in step four while, in fifth step rain falls start from the clouds at the top of mountains in sea side at where the air start drying down at the opposite side of sea. meanwhile, in sixth step the dry air continously moving through leeward side and reached to the inland areas where the rain-shadowing desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram’s subject and give a basic sequence, including winds approaching from the sea, air rising and cooling, rain falling, and dry air moving inland. However, the account is incomplete and some relationships are unclear: for example, “most of steps happend on the thousands of kilometers mountains” misreads the scale label, which indicates distance, not the size of the mountains. The overview does not clearly summarise the key contrast between rain on the windward side and desert formation inland on the leeward side. The response is also 36 words below the 150-word minimum, with 13 prompt words excluded from the count. Add a clear overview and explain each stage more accurately and fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the general order of the process, using markers such as “At first,” “in second step,” and “in fifth step,” so the reader can recognise a sequence. However, most of the information is compressed into one long paragraph and a single extended sentence, making the stages difficult to distinguish. The transition from rainfall to the air becoming dry is especially unclear, and “meanwhile” does not establish a clear relationship with the preceding stage. Organise the description into a short overview and a separate sequence paragraph, and use one sentence for each main stage. This would create clearer progression and make the links between stages more reliable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain falls,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also an attempt to use more specific terms such as “rain-shadow desert.” However, several word choices and forms are inaccurate or awkward, including “wind side” for “windward side,” “rain-shadowing desert,” and “mountain pushing the air.” Spelling errors such as “ocurre,” “happend,” and “continously” are noticeable, and repeated use of “step” limits variety. Use the diagram’s labels precisely and choose natural process verbs such as “is forced upwards,” “condenses,” and “continues.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe a sequence with subordinate clauses, for example, “where the moist air rises” and “where the rain-shadowing desert.” However, the sentence structures are often faulty or incomplete, and the long sentence beginning “At first” contains several stages joined without clear grammatical boundaries. There are frequent problems with verb forms and agreement: “wind approach,” “mountain pushing,” “air rises and getting cold,” and “dry air continously moving.” Articles and prepositions are also often missing or misplaced, as in “from sea to coast” and “at where.” Use short, complete sentences with consistent present-tense verbs, then add more complex structures only when their relationships are clear.

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

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