Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-08

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 shows about how one type of desert is formed which is known has rain-shadow desert.

The rain-shadow desert is formed on the thousand of kilometer of mountain near the sea. Firstly, on the seacoast, winds approach the coast then winds pushed upwards and it forms moist air rises and cools it then clouds are formed and then rain falls on mountain.

After the rain falls on mountain, the dry air contuines foward and leans downward to reach the inland area which it is rain shadow desert.

Overall, diagram tells us about how the rain shadow desert is formed and what it is mechanism and tell us what are it main features.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and describe the main sequence from coastal winds to rain and then dry air reaching inland, so the response is relevant to the diagram. However, the account is partial and some details are unclear: the mountains force the winds upward, and the moist air cools before clouds form, but these links are compressed into “it forms moist air rises and cools it.” The overview repeats that the diagram shows how the desert is formed rather than summarising the key contrast between rainfall on the windward side and dry conditions beyond the leeward side. The claim that the desert is formed “on the thousand of kilometer of mountain” also misrepresents the scale label, which indicates horizontal distance. The response is 37 words below the required minimum; develop the stages and their relationship more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, signalled by “Firstly” and “After the rain falls,” and the reader can follow the broad movement from the coast towards inland areas. However, most of the process is packed into one long sentence, making the stages and their relationships difficult to track. The final paragraph repeats the general topic instead of providing a distinct overview, so the progression from introduction to process description to summary is not effective. Some links are also unclear, particularly “which it is rain shadow desert.” Use separate sentences or paragraphs for the windward and leeward stages, and use precise links such as “as a result” to show cause and effect without repeating “then.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “winds,” “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain,” and “inland,” which allows the reader to recognise the process. The range is nevertheless limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward: “known has” for “known as,” “contuines” for “continues,” and “leans downward” where “descends” would describe the air more precisely. “On the thousand of kilometer of mountain” is also unclear and does not express the diagram’s horizontal scale. Repeated use of “formed” and “then” limits variety. Build a small set of accurate process terms—such as “rise,” “cool,” “condense,” “precipitate,” and “descend”—and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to describe a sequence using both simple clauses and linked structures, but the range is limited and complex sentences are often faulty. For example, “then winds pushed upwards and it forms moist air rises and cools it” combines several stages without a workable grammatical structure; “winds are pushed upwards, causing the moist air to rise and cool” would be clearer. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and sentence construction, as in “the rain shadow desert is formed” and “what are it main features.” The final sentence does not form a clear question or statement. Use accurate present-simple passive forms for the process, and make sure each sentence has a clear subject and verb.

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