Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 process diagram illustrates how a normal desert is being converted in a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, it can be seen that rainy desert is formed in seven significant stages which is a time-consuming process. Here, the major obstacles are mountains which cover thousands of kilometres after passing it we can be able to get a rain-shadow desert.

Firstly, wind has been coming from the coastal region which is moved to the upwards of the mountains. As well as moisture of air has been rising, and it is being cooled down in the windward stage. Secondly, the rain is being started when the formation of clouds has been done.

On the contrary, in the opposite side of windward which is called leeward stage. Here, dry air continues over mountain as there is no rain is being fallen down. Finally, we can be able to call this inland as a rain-shadow desert as dry air is being passed the inner areas without any rain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a sequence and mention several central features, including winds rising over mountains, cloud formation, rainfall on the windward side, and dry air reaching inland. However, some key details are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram shows winds approaching from the sea, not simply from a coastal region, and the rain-shadow desert forms beyond the leeward side; it is not the mountains themselves that “cover thousands of kilometres.” The overview also calls this a “time-consuming process,” although no duration is shown. The stages are only partly explained, particularly the transition from moist air cooling to clouds and rain. A more precise overview and a clearer account of each stage would make the summary more complete and grounded in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by stages beginning with “Firstly” and ending with “Finally.” This gives the reader a basic sense of sequence. However, progression is not consistently clear. “Secondly” introduces rainfall without clearly connecting it to the preceding cloud formation, while “On the contrary” suggests a contrast that is not present in the process. The phrase “in the opposite side of windward” also makes the relationship between the two mountain sides difficult to follow. Some linking expressions are repetitive or mechanically applied, and the final sentence repeats the point that dry air reaches inland. Use straightforward sequencing and explicit references to the windward and leeward sides to make the stages flow more logically.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary such as “moisture,” “windward,” “leeward,” “clouds,” and “dry air,” showing an adequate range for describing the diagram. Some choices, however, are inaccurate or unnatural and make parts of the explanation less precise. “A normal desert is being converted in a rain-shadow desert” misrepresents the process, which describes how a rain-shadow desert forms. “Rainy desert” is also not the correct term, and “major obstacles” does not clearly describe the mountains’ role. Phrases such as “rain is being started” and “inner areas” are awkward in this context. Aim for precise process collocations, for example, “moist air rises,” “precipitation falls,” and “dry winds move inland,” rather than forcing less suitable expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses linked with “which,” “as,” and “when.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “wind has been coming … which is moved to the upwards” combines tenses and structures incorrectly; “there is no rain is being fallen down” contains an ungrammatical clause; and “after passing it we can be able to get” has an unclear subject and awkward construction. Passive forms are used repeatedly where a simple present active form would be clearer. Practise describing processes in the present simple, such as “winds rise,” “clouds form,” and “rain falls,” and check that each clause has a clear subject and verb.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.