Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-26

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 illustruats one type of desert as a formation of rain shadow desert in reporting a main features.

Overall,when winds approach coast there lot's of pushed upwards and cloud form and start the rain falls.After rain falls dry air continuesly flow to dowside or land side area andd rain shadow desert.

Sea is the main point of rain,here we can see that winds apporach a coast and pushed the upper side of mountains.Air are rises and cools from the mountains also clouds form and also frizzing here and slightly the rain falls starts the hill side.and the windward side ar continiusly flow the winds.

In contrust when the rain start in the hill there lot's of water are down the land area.Here,Dry air continuesly over mountain in the down side and also leeward side,while,Dry winds reach thr land and water are floot there.And finally lndan are flow and rain shadow in desert are.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the central process: moist air rises over the mountains, rain falls on the windward side, and dry air continues inland to form a rain-shadow desert. This gives the response a relevant overview and includes several stages shown in the diagram. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate. For example, “Sea is the main point of rain” does not explain that winds approach from the sea, while the claim that “water are floot” inland conflicts with the diagram, which shows dry winds reaching the desert area. The stages are also not consistently reported in a clear sequence. To strengthen the response, describe the full progression precisely and distinguish rainfall on the windward side from dry conditions beyond the leeward side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an overall shape, with an opening, an overview, and further description, and it uses some sequencing language such as “Overall,” “In contrast,” and “finally.” These features help the reader recognise that a process is being described. However, progression is difficult to follow because stages are repeated or joined without clear relationships: “cloud form and start the rain falls” and “dry air continuesly flow to dowside or land side area” are examples. The contrast paragraph also introduces flooding, which disrupts the process sequence. Use one paragraph for the overview and separate paragraphs for the windward and leeward stages, linking each step with accurate connectors such as “as a result” and “subsequently.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds,” and “rain shadow desert.” This shows an attempt to use terms specific to the diagram. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the meaning difficult to understand, such as “frizzing,” “floot,” and “dowside.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise, including “main point of rain” and “there lot’s of water are down the land area.” Aim for accurate collocations and use the diagram’s terminology consistently—for example, describe air as rising, cooling, and becoming dry, rather than using unclear substitutes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

There is an attempt to use both simple statements and longer linked sentences, and the response includes a basic overview structure. However, sentence control is weak: errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries occur frequently and sometimes obscure the process. Examples include “there lot’s of pushed upwards,” “Air are rises and cools,” and “Dry air continuesly over mountain.” Several clauses are joined without a clear grammatical structure, as in “when the rain start in the hill there lot’s of water are down the land area.” Practise building accurate simple sentences first, such as “The air rises and cools,” then connect them with subordinate clauses. Check subject–verb agreement, past or present tense consistency, and punctuation between clauses.

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