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 given Diagram describes formation of single type of desert, called rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the diagram shows the formation of rain-shadow deserts which involves seven steps includes Winds approch coast, Winds pushed upwards, Moist air rises and cools and many more steps. It also contains sea side, windward side, Leeward side abd Inland.

The formation of the rain-shadow involves 7 steps and each step is very crusual for the completion of the deserts. The first step is winds approach coast and after the approach the winds pushed upwards to the windward then moist air rises and cool down and as the result , cloud is formed. The formation of coluds is the main reason of the rain falls. After that , at the Leeward side the dry air continues over mountain and as the result the dry winds reach inland areas and this form the rain-shadow desert .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as rain-shadow desert formation and report the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland. The account also correctly mentions rising, cooling air, cloud formation and rainfall on the mountain side facing the sea. However, the overview mainly lists steps and locations rather than summarising the key contrast: moist air loses its water on the windward side, leaving dry air to cross the mountains and create a desert inland on the leeward side. Some stages are compressed or unclear, and the response is 148 words, below the required 150. Add a little explanation of this cause-and-effect relationship and clarify the mountain’s two sides to develop the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a paragraph describing the sequence. The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and phrases such as “after that” help signal progression. However, the overview repeats the list of steps rather than giving a clear summary, and the final paragraph combines several stages in one long chain, making the relationships harder to follow. Linking phrases such as “as the result” are repeated, while punctuation around them is inconsistent. Organise the description into clearer stage groups—for example, air rising and rainfall, followed by dry air moving inland—and use concise transitions to show cause and sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “Leeward side,” “moist air,” “dry air” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the reader can follow the topic. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “completion of the deserts” and “the formation of coluds.” Spelling errors—including “approch,” “crusual,” “abd” and “coluds”—are noticeable and reduce precision. There is also repetition of “formation” and “step.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural process language, such as describing air as “rising,” “cooling” and “losing moisture,” and use “the resulting desert” rather than “completion of the deserts.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a sequence joined with “and” and a cause-and-effect clause beginning “as the result.” The main stages remain understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “seven steps includes” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “the winds pushed upwards” needs an appropriate passive form to describe the process. The sentence beginning “The first step is…” runs through several stages without clear sentence boundaries, while articles and singular/plural forms are inconsistent in “cloud is formed” and “the rain falls.” Practise accurate passive constructions and divide long sequences into complete sentences with clear punctuation.

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