Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-04

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 given chart illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts. This process took 7 main actions to be done. To begin with the first one that shows how it all started, winds approach above the sea due to the temperature. After that in the second process they have pushed upwards by steam of wind. In the third point the moist on the air drops and then it cools. Above the clouds. in the fifth action we can see the rain falling from the cooled clouds and right after that dry air continues over the mountain and in the middle there were windward side and leeward side on the middle of the mountains and in the final dry winds reach the inland areas

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the topic and mention several stages, including winds approaching, rain falling, and dry air moving inland. However, the account is incomplete and contains important inaccuracies: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling, not “the moist on the air drops,” and it does not say the winds approach “due to the temperature” or that they are pushed up by “steam of wind.” The formation of clouds is not clearly described, and the overview does not explain how rainfall on the windward side leaves dry air to create a desert inland on the leeward side. The response also falls short of the required 150 words. To improve, accurately explain the full cause-and-effect sequence and include a clear overview of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly chronological order, using markers such as “To begin with,” “After that,” and “in the final” to guide the reader through the process. This gives it some organisation. However, the progression becomes difficult to follow because several stages are joined in one long sentence, and the numbering is inconsistent: the account moves from the third point to “the fifth action” without clearly explaining the fourth stage. The phrase “Above the clouds” is also left as a fragment, while the windward and leeward sides are inserted awkwardly into the sequence. Use separate sentences or paragraphs for the overview and stages, and connect each step clearly without skipping or confusing the order.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “formation,” “moist,” “cooled clouds,” “dry air,” and “inland areas,” so the reader can recognise the general subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which makes parts of the explanation unclear. For example, “steam of wind” does not describe the upward movement shown, and “the moist on the air” is not an appropriate phrase for water vapour in the atmosphere. “Actions” is also less suitable than a term describing stages in a natural process. Aim for precise geographical vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “moist air rises,” “condenses,” and “precipitation falls.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to describe a sequence using both simple statements and longer sentences, and some basic clauses are understandable, such as “dry winds reach the inland areas.” However, the range is limited, and errors in sentence construction and punctuation frequently interrupt the explanation. “This process took 7 main actions to be done” is an awkward passive construction, while “Above the clouds.” is an incomplete sentence. The long sentence beginning “in the fifth action” joins several ideas without clear grammatical boundaries. Capitalisation after full stops is inconsistent, as in “clouds. in the fifth action.” Practise forming complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and use accurate past or present simple forms consistently when describing the diagram.

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

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