Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 below shows, how particular type of desert known as a rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, it can been seen that, in the formation of rain-shadow deserts there are 7 steps. First step is that how wind approaches coast and seventh step is that how dry wind reaches inland areas.

To begin with, the very first process is winds approach coast upwards to the mountain, in the second stage winds pushed upside and trasformed into moist air and cools while rising. After in the given fourth step clouds are generating and in the following step clouds become even more darker and than rainfalls.

Furthermore, after rainfall in the 6th step dry air continues over mountain and comes down, after that dry wind reach inland arers and right before rain-shadow deset is formed it finally reaches it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the diagram as a seven-stage process and mention its broad movement from coastal winds to inland desert, so the response is relevant. However, several key stages are confused: the winds are pushed upwards by the mountains, then moist air rises and cools; the response instead says the winds are “trasformed into moist air,” and suggests clouds become darker before rainfall, which is not shown. The overview also does not explain the central cause-and-effect pattern or distinguish the rainy windward side from the dry leeward side. The response is 127 words, below the 150-word minimum; 11 words copied from the task prompt were excluded. Add a clearer overview and accurately describe each stage to develop the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process. Sequencing expressions such as “To begin with,” “in the second stage,” and “Furthermore” help signal movement through the diagram. However, progression is not consistently clear because several stages are compressed into long, awkward sentences, and “After in the given fourth step” does not connect ideas naturally. The overview repeats the first and last stages rather than previewing the process as a whole. Use one clear sentence for each group of stages, and link them with accurate 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,” “rainfall,” “mountain,” and “inland areas,” which makes the topic recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the process difficult to picture. For example, “winds approach coast upwards to the mountain” combines separate actions, while “clouds are generating” and “clouds become even more darker” are not natural descriptions of the diagram. There are also spelling errors such as “trasformed,” “arers,” and “deset.” Build a more precise set of process verbs—such as rise, cool, condense, descend, and reach—and check spelling and natural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the sequence is generally understandable despite grammatical problems. However, errors are frequent, and some sentence structures are faulty. For instance, “it can been seen” has an incorrect verb form, while “First step is that how wind approaches coast” uses an unnecessary and confusing clause pattern. In “winds pushed upside,” the passive construction lacks the auxiliary verb, and “dry wind reach inland areas” has a subject–verb agreement error. Articles and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in “particular type of desert” and the comma after “shows.” Practise accurate passive forms and simple stage-by-stage sentences before combining them into longer structures.

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

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