Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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)

This diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow winds, moist air, clouds, and rain falls deserts is formed.

Overall, the rain-shadow start the sea and wind approach windward side then they made rain falls or they falls move leeward side and to involve in inland.

Moreover, the sea water push wind approach coast and wind pushed upwards or moist air and cools go to the windward side. Then they form of clouds and then the rain falls at the top of the mountains. For example, the clouds make properly at the top of the mountains.

In the above, the clouds bring rain at top of mountains then the water push leeward side or dry air continues over mountains. Then dry winds reach inland areas and water slowly stop in the dry inlands. The total procedure cover thousands of kilometers and clouds go top of the mountains then water move leeward side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main stages, including winds approaching the coast, air rising and cooling, rain falling over the mountains, and dry winds continuing inland. This gives the response relevant coverage of the process. However, the overview is unclear: “the rain-shadow start the sea” does not accurately summarise how the desert forms, and the opening confuses the desert with “rain-shadow winds, moist air, clouds, and rain falls deserts.” Some details are also inaccurate or unsupported, such as saying sea water pushes the wind and that water slowly stops inland. To strengthen the response, give a clear overview that moist coastal air loses its moisture on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert on the leeward side, then describe the stages accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has separate paragraphs and uses basic sequencing words such as “Then” and “Moreover,” so the reader can recognise that you are describing a process. However, the progression is not consistently clear, and several ideas are repeated: clouds forming and rain falling over the mountains are mentioned more than once. Connections between stages are sometimes difficult to follow, as in “the water push leeward side or dry air continues over mountains.” The overview also does not clearly guide the reader through the process. Organise the description in the diagram’s sequence, use one paragraph for the overall pattern and another for the stages, and make each linking phrase show a precise relationship between events.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use several relevant terms from the diagram, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “dry air,” and “inland areas.” This shows some task-specific vocabulary. However, the range is limited and several word choices or combinations make the meaning unclear, such as “rain-shadow winds,” “rain falls deserts,” “sea water push wind,” and “clouds make properly.” Repetition of “top of the mountains” and “rain falls” also limits precision. Choose verbs that describe the process accurately, such as “rise,” “cool,” “condense,” and “precipitate,” and use “rain-shadow desert” consistently for the landform rather than mixing it with winds or rainfall.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the sequence is sometimes expressed with clauses beginning “Then.” However, grammatical errors are frequent and can make relationships between ideas difficult to understand. For example, “the rain-shadow start the sea” has an incorrect verb form and unclear sentence structure, while “the water push leeward side” lacks correct agreement and a clear grammatical construction. There are also problems with articles and sentence formation in “the rain-shadow start the sea and wind approach windward side.” Practise building accurate simple sentences first, such as “The wind approaches the coast” and “The air rises and cools,” then connect them with “as” or “so” to show cause and sequence.

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

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