Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-05

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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of the formation of rain shadow deserts.

Overall, it is clear that the steps of formation starts from when winds approach to the coastal area while ends with the step dry winds reach inland areas.

First and foremost, the first step of formation is that when winds approaches the coastal area. After that winds goes upward towards the mountains and in third step, the air moisturise and cools from windward side, after this, the air forms the clouds in next step. On the peak of the mountains, the clouds falls rain.

On the other hand, from sixth step, the wind forms dry and continues over mountains

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process and give a basic start-to-finish overview, including winds approaching the coast and dry air continuing inland. You also report several central stages: air rises and cools, clouds form, and rain falls over the mountains. However, the account is only partial: it stops before explaining that dry winds reach inland areas and create the rain-shadow desert, a key outcome shown in the diagram. Some details are unclear, such as “the air forms the clouds” and “the clouds falls rain.” The response also does not meet the required minimum of 150 words, leaving important stages and relationships underdeveloped. To improve, describe the complete sequence and explicitly connect the leeward side and inland dryness to desert formation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence, supported by markers such as “Overall,” “First and foremost,” “After that,” and “in third step.” The overview is separated from the process details, which helps the reader identify the main stages. However, progression becomes less clear near the end: “On the other hand” suggests a contrast, although the dry-air stage is the next part of the same process, and the final sentence is incomplete. Several transitions are repetitive or awkward, and the description is not divided into fully developed stages. Use straightforward sequencing language such as “Next,” “As a result,” and “Finally,” and complete the account with the inland desert outcome.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “coastal area,” “mountains,” “windward side,” “clouds,” and “dry.” These terms show that you can describe the diagram’s main subject, and “rain shadow deserts” is appropriate topic vocabulary. However, the range is limited and some word choices or combinations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the process difficult to interpret. For example, “the air moisturise” does not clearly express that moist air rises, while “the clouds falls rain” is not a natural way to describe precipitation. “Wind forms dry” is also unclear. Choose precise process verbs and collocations, such as “moist air rises,” “rain falls,” and “the air becomes dry,” and avoid repeating “step” where a more specific verb would help.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both an overview sentence and longer sentences describing the sequence, but the range of structures is limited and errors occur frequently. Subject–verb agreement is inconsistent in “the steps of formation starts” and “winds approaches”; the latter should use the plural verb form. The opening overview also has an incomplete construction: “starts from when … while ends with.” In “the air forms the clouds in next step,” the article and sentence structure need attention, and the final sentence lacks a full stop and a completed clause. These errors sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then combine them with clauses using “when,” “as,” and “after,” checking agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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