Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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 illustrates information on how one category of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is created.

Overall, it is observed that there are seven steps in the formation of rain-shadow deserts, all over the thousands of kilometres of the mountains. To begin with, the winds coming rapid from the sea to approach coast and then pushes upwards, after that the air cools and rises to develop clouds on windward side of the mount; on the top of the mountains, rain starts to fall because of the cold air and freezing weather in the top.

Moreover, the dry air continues going off over the mount; on the leeward side.

finally the dry winds reach the inland areas, creating what is called by the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process and give its broad sequence, including winds approaching the coast, rain falling on the windward side, and dry winds reaching inland to create the desert. However, the account is only partial and some explanations are inaccurate or unsupported: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form, but it does not attribute rainfall to “freezing weather.” The overview also says the process occurs “all over the thousands of kilometres of the mountains,” misrepresenting the scale label, which refers to horizontal distance. The response is below the required 150 words; the nine words copied from the prompt are excluded from the count. To develop the task more fully, describe the mountain’s role and the transition from moist air to dry air more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the general order of the diagram, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “finally” help signal the start and end of the process. However, the stages are compressed into a long, loosely connected sentence, so the progression is not consistently clear. The sequence “after that the air cools and rises to develop clouds” also makes the relationship between rising, cooling and cloud formation difficult to follow. “Moreover” does not clearly mark the next stage, while the full stop in “over the mount; on the leeward side” interrupts the sentence rather than connecting the information. Use separate, clearly ordered sentences or paragraphs and link each stage with precise sequencing language.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “dry air,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the main subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “winds coming rapid,” “the mount,” and “creating what is called by the rain-shadow desert.” Repetition of “mount/mountains” and “dry” also limits variety. Choose accurate terms for the stages and use natural collocations, for example, “winds approach the coast,” “air rises over the mountain,” and “a rain-shadow desert forms inland.” This would make the description clearer and more appropriate to an academic process report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine stages using clauses, as in “the winds coming rapid from the sea to approach coast and then pushes upwards,” but the sentence contains frequent problems with verb forms, agreement and sentence construction. For example, “winds” does not agree with “pushes,” and “coming” is not correctly integrated into the clause. Articles and prepositions are also often missing, as in “approach coast” and “on windward side.” The final sentence, “creating what is called by the rain-shadow desert,” has an incorrect passive construction. Most of the response relies on long, joined clauses, with limited control of sentence boundaries and punctuation. Practise writing one accurate sentence for each stage before combining ideas.

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

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