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 outlines the stages of the formation rain-shadow desert.

Overall, there are seven stages of forming desert beginning with winds approach coast to ending with dry winds reach inland areas. It includes clouds,rain,air conditioner over mountain and dry winds reach inland areas. It's measured in thousands of kilometres.

To begin, winds approach coast to create air winds then windes are pushing upward ,moist air rises and cools the winds through the mountains side of wind ward to form clouds then felling the rain.

Following this, again winds are cool new they are try to begin dry air conditioner over mountain with help of mountain Leeward side then forming a dry winds reach inland areas through out the inland rain-shadow desert. It's measured in thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process as having seven stages and give a basic start-to-finish account, including wind approaching the coast, rain falling on the mountain’s windward side, and dry winds reaching the inland desert. However, the explanation is only partial: the key causal sequence is not clearly explained, especially how moist air rises and cools, clouds form, and the air becomes dry after crossing the mountain. The overview also includes unclear or inaccurate details such as “air conditioner,” and the scale is mentioned without explaining what it represents. The response is below the required 150 words, which limits how fully you can report the main features. Develop each stage accurately and explain the contrast between the wet windward side and dry leeward side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an overview followed by two paragraphs that attempt to describe the process in sequence. Phrases such as “To begin” and “Following this” help signal progression. However, the sequence is difficult to follow because several stages are compressed into long, unclear sentences, and links between causes and results are not explicit. For example, the sentence beginning “winds approach coast to create air winds” does not clearly connect the approaching wind to its upward movement or to cloud formation. The final paragraph also repeats the inland-desert idea. Use one clear sentence for each group of stages, and connect them with precise transitions such as “as a result” and “once the air crosses the mountain.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain,” “windward side,” “Leeward side,” and “inland.” This gives the reader a basic sense of the topic. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices make the process hard to understand. “Air conditioner” appears where the diagram describes dry air, while “felling the rain” and “winds are cool new” do not express the intended stages. There are also spelling and form problems, such as “windes” and “wind ward.” Aim to use the diagram’s precise terms consistently, and choose natural process verbs such as “rise,” “cool,” “condense,” “fall,” and “continue.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both an overview and longer sentences describing the sequence, but grammatical control is limited, and errors frequently make relationships between stages unclear. For example, “the formation rain-shadow desert” is missing a necessary article and preposition, while “winds approach coast to create air winds” has an incomplete and confusing structure. Verb forms are also inconsistent in “winds are pushing upward” and “then felling the rain,” and articles are often omitted in phrases such as “over mountain.” Punctuation and spacing are uneven, including “clouds,rain” and extra spaces. Build accurate simple sentences first, then combine them with clauses using “when,” “as,” or “after.”

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

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