Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-30

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 ILLUSTERTS THAT HOW ONE TYPE OF DESERT, KNOWN AS A RAIN SHADOW, IS DEVELOPED. THE PROCESS IS SHOWS THE FORMATION OF RAIN SHADOW DESERTS. WHERE WIND GOES FROM SEA TO INLAND. IT TRAVELS THOUSANDS OF KILOMETER.

THE PROCESS SHOWS STEP BY STEP FORMATION OF RAIN SHADOW DESERTS. TO BEGIN WITH, WIND APPROACH COAST THROUGH THE SEA. NEXT, WINDS PUSHED UPWARDS TO THE MOUNTAINS. IT MOVES FUTHER, WHERE MOIST AIR RISES AND COOLS, ON THE WINDWARD SIDE, NOW HERE AIR IS CONVERTED INTO CLOUDS. THE CLOUDS WHICH ARE FORMED ARE NOW START TO RAIN.

FUTHERMORE, DRY AIR CONTINUES OVER MOUNTAIN, ON THE LEEWARD SIDE. MOREOVER, DRY WINDS REACH TO INLAND AREAS. NOW THE WIND IS FINALLY ON INLAND WHERE IT BECOMES RAIN SHADOW DESERT. THIS IS ULTIMATE JOURNEY OF RAIN SHADOW DESERT, WHICH COVERS THOUSANDS OF KILOMETER.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and include the key contrast between the windward and leeward sides. However, the overview is repetitive and does not clearly summarise the central cause-and-effect pattern: moist air rises, cools and produces rain on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a rain-shadow desert inland. Some details are unclear, such as saying the air is “converted into clouds.” The response also contains 128 words, below the 150-word minimum; 10 words copied from the task prompt were excluded from the count. Develop the overview and explain the stages more precisely to address the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic chronological structure, with “To begin with,” “Next,” and “Furthermore” guiding the reader through the process. The paragraphing also separates the introduction from the sequence. However, the progression is weakened by repeated statements about the process and by connectors that do not always show a clear relationship: “Moreover” adds little after “Furthermore,” while “Now” is used several times without a precise purpose. Some references are also unclear, particularly “It moves further,” where the subject could be the wind or the air. Organise the stages into a concise overview and a clearly ordered description, using linking words selectively and naming the subject when needed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “dry air,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the diagram’s main stages. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “air is converted into clouds,” “the wind is finally on inland,” and “ultimate journey.” Spelling errors, including “ILLUSTERTS” and “FUTHERMORE,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process language, for example, say that clouds form as moist air cools and that dry winds continue inland. Vary repeated wording such as “process” and “formation” while keeping expressions natural and specific.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence joined with “where” and “which,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in verb forms and agreement: “wind approach” should be “winds approach,” and “the process is shows” has an incorrect verb construction. Articles and sentence boundaries are also problematic, as in “over mountain” and the fragment “Where wind goes from sea to inland.” These errors sometimes make the relationships between stages difficult to follow. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions of processes, check subject–verb agreement and articles, and avoid joining clauses unless their grammatical connection is clear. Short, correct sentences can provide a reliable base for more complex structures.

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