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 Formation of rain Shadow Illustrates how the winds gets changes from deserts below to above mountains.

It basically gets change from the coastal sea like how the winds get approach & get pushed upwards to the air & form the clouds for rain. It indicates thousands of kilometres away distance the climate gets change through winds.

Overall after the process explains awhen clouds forms the rain on mountain again it gets dry in air & continues in mountains reach down inlands areas, where the rain shadows are visiblecla.

An overview with the daigram gives us the clarity for how the winds get form from the sea in details how the rain gets started in the process of windward side upward to downward side in depth.

The Images shows the difference from seacoast to rain shadow desert in seven steps with an indicators in details winds approach from coast, winds pushed upwards then moist air rises & cools clouds form , rain falls dry air continues over moutain dry winds reach inland areas & in last the rain shadow is visible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the central process and include several accurate stages: winds approach the coast, rise over the mountains, form clouds, produce rain, and continue inland as dry winds. The reference to the windward and leeward sides also shows awareness of the diagram’s main contrast. However, the account is not consistently clear about how these stages connect, and the overview is vague: “the climate gets change through winds” does not clearly state that rain falls on the windward side while a rain-shadow desert forms inland on the leeward side. Some details are repeated rather than explained, and the role of moist air cooling is only briefly mentioned. State the overall cause-and-effect pattern clearly, then describe the stages in order with precise locations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is an attempt to organise the response into an opening, an overview, and a final description of the stages. The last paragraph also follows the diagram’s sequence to some extent. However, progression is difficult to follow because the first three paragraphs repeat similar points about winds, clouds, and rain without clearly separating the overview from the detailed account. Linking is limited, and phrases such as “Overall after the process explains” and “An overview with the diagram gives us the clarity” do not establish clear relationships between ideas. The final sentence lists several stages in one long sequence. Use one concise overview paragraph followed by a step-by-step paragraph, with clear connectors such as “as a result,” “then,” and “on the leeward side.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “coastal sea,” “moist air,” “windward side,” “dry winds,” and “rain shadow desert,” so the reader can recognise the subject. However, the range is limited and several word combinations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “winds gets changes,” “rain shadows are visible,” and “the winds get form from the sea.” Some spelling and word-form errors, including “daigram” and “moutain,” also reduce precision. Repeating “winds,” “rain,” and “process” makes the description less specific. Build a small set of accurate process terms and collocations, for example “moist air is forced upwards,” “condensation forms clouds,” and “precipitation falls on the windward slope,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response communicates some of the process despite grammatical problems. However, control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent. Examples include “the winds gets changes,” “how the winds get approach,” and “when clouds forms,” where agreement and verb construction are faulty. Several clauses are joined without clear grammatical links, particularly the final sentence beginning “The Images shows the difference…,” which becomes a list rather than a controlled sentence. Articles and plurals are also unreliable, as in “the rain shadow is visible” after referring to the desert feature. Practise forming clear present-simple process sentences, such as “Moist air rises, cools and forms clouds,” and use full stops to separate stages.

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