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)

the diagram gives the seven step process for formation of rain-shadow in one kind of deserts.

overall, the formation contin seven steps, its starts when winds approach coast and moved up along with moist air rises, which can allow air cool to create cloudes. followed by rain fall in one side and top of the mountain (above the windward side). but in the other side of the mountain (below leeward side) dry air continue over the mountian to reach inland areas (rain-shadow areas).

the process of rain shadow desert starts when we have sea lied behayned the mountian in one side which is create the coast. the process starts as the winds approach the coast and pushs up wards to reach windward side, also mosit air raises and cools to form the clouds and then the participation begin.

In the other side of the mountian, after the rain falls (only up the leeward side) the dry air will continue down wards over the mountian to the dry winds and finally reach inland areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and you mention the key contrast between the rain-bearing windward side and the dry leeward side. However, some stages are compressed or inaccurately described: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling, clouds forming, and rain falling on the windward side before dry air crosses the mountain. The phrase “rain falls (only up the leeward side)” reverses the location of the rainfall, while “sea lied behayned the mountian” makes the geography unclear. The overview recognises the seven-stage process, but it could state more clearly that moisture is lost on the windward side, creating a dry area inland. More precise reporting of the sequence and locations would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has an opening, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process, so there is some organisation. The sequence is also partly signalled with phrases such as “starts when,” “followed by,” and “finally.” However, progression is difficult to follow because the overview repeats much of the later description, and the final paragraph returns to rainfall without clearly linking it to the earlier stages. Some connections are awkward or unclear, particularly “which can allow air cool to create cloudes” and “after the rain falls (only up the leeward side).” Use one concise overview followed by a single, clearly ordered account, with accurate links such as “as a result” and “once the air crosses the mountain.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “dry air,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the topic. There is some attempt at more specific language, but word choice and spelling are often inaccurate: “participation” appears to mean precipitation, “cloudes” is misspelled, and “rain-shadow areas” is less precise than the diagram’s “rain-shadow desert.” Phrases such as “pushs up wards” and “sea lied behayned” are also difficult to interpret. These errors sometimes make the description less clear, despite the relevant vocabulary. Build accuracy with standard process terms and collocations, for example “is forced upwards,” “condenses into clouds,” and “precipitation falls.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a sequence linked with “which can allow” and a contrast introduced by “but.” However, control is inconsistent, and several sentence structures are incomplete or faulty. For example, “overall, the formation contin seven steps” lacks a clear verb, while “its starts when winds approach coast and moved up” shifts tense and does not maintain a grammatical subject. Articles and agreement are also unreliable in phrases such as “the process starts when we have sea” and “the dry air continue.” These problems sometimes obscure the relationships between stages. Practise writing complete sentences with a consistent present simple passive, such as “The winds are forced upwards, causing the moist air to cool.”

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