Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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 clearly illustratea the process of on desert ,known as rain-shadow desrt how it is formed .

Overall the formations of rain- shadow process contains seven stages.Land size is thousand of kilometers, starting from winds approach coast and end it Dry wind reaches inland areas.

wind approach cost begin from above the sea, winds pushed upword and reach windward side where mosit air rises and cools then clouds form after that rain falls .

meanwhile dry air continues over mountain and reach leeward side and dry wind reached inland areas where desert areas and begin formations of rain-shadow

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process as rain-shadow desert formation and give its broad direction, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland. You also include several key stages, including uplift, cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and the continuation of dry air over the mountains. However, the account is brief and only partially develops the diagram: the overview does not clearly explain the contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward side, and the final desert formation is not fully described. The response is also 51 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail you can provide. To improve, explain the stages more fully and make the overall cause-and-effect relationship explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the process in a generally understandable order, and words such as “Overall,” “then,” and “after that” help signal progression. The overview is separated from the stage description, which gives the reader some structure. However, most of the details are compressed into one long paragraph, and the links between stages are sometimes unclear. For example, “where mosit air rises and cools then clouds form” combines several steps without clear punctuation, while “meanwhile” does not clearly mark a separate or simultaneous process. Use distinct paragraphs for the overview and the main sequence, and connect each stage with precise transitions such as “as a result” or “once the air reaches the leeward side.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds,” and “rain falls,” so the reader can recognise the main features. However, the range is limited and several spelling errors make the description less clear, including “desrt,” “upword,” and “mosit.” Some phrases are also imprecise or awkward, such as “Land size is thousand of kilometers” and “begin formations of rain-shadow.” Aim for accurate, task-specific collocations and avoid repeating “wind” and “reach” where more precise verbs are available. For example, describe air as “rising,” “cooling,” and “descending,” and refer to the desert as “forming” in the inland area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both a general overview and longer sentences that link stages, but grammatical control is weak and errors frequently affect readability. The opening has several problems: “The diagram clearly illustratea the process of on desert” lacks correct agreement and sentence structure. There are also inconsistent verb forms, as in “winds approach” followed by “winds pushed,” and the final clause “where desert areas and begin formations” is incomplete. Articles and plurals are often missing or inaccurate, and punctuation does not reliably separate ideas. Practise writing complete sentences with a consistent present simple tense for process descriptions, checking subject–verb agreement and using full stops to prevent long, unclear sequences.

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