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)

This graph shows a type of a desert with its features known as rain-shadow desert. Starting from the sea level wind approaches with sea waves, which thean pushes the wind towards the upward fo the mountain. As soon as wind goes upwards its air become cool and moist thus results in formation of clouds. This whole senerio results in rain falls which occure on the very top of the mountain. This whole process happens on the windward side of the mounain. On the other side which is also called the leeward side has different procedure that is the after it reaches the top the dry air continues over all the mountain and when its doing downwards it suddenly reaches to inland areas where the rain-shadow desert is located. The funfact is the area between coast to inland is thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You describe the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching the inland desert, and you identify the windward and leeward sides. However, the account is only partial: it does not clearly explain that moist air rises and cools before clouds form, and it says rain falls “on the very top” rather than describing precipitation over the windward side and mountain area. The overview is also missing, so the reader is not given a concise summary of how the mountain creates a wet side and a dry inland region. The response is 141 words, below the required 150. Add a brief overview and clarify the stages and locations to cover the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in broadly chronological order, and phrases such as “On the other side” help signal the move from the windward to the leeward side. This gives the response some organisation. However, it is written as one continuous paragraph, with no clear overview separated from the process details. Several links are awkward or repetitive, including “This whole scenario results in rain falls” and “and when its doing downwards,” which make the progression harder to follow. Use a short introductory overview, then group the windward and leeward stages, and use precise links such as “As a result” and “After crossing the peak” to make the sequence clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “dry air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the description unclear: “sea waves” is not part of the process, “the wind towards the upward of the mountain” is unnatural, and “funfact” is too informal for an academic report. Spelling errors such as “senerio,” “mounain,” and “occure” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process language and a consistently formal register, for example “winds are forced up the mountain” and “precipitation falls on the windward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to connect stages in longer sentences using “as soon as,” “thus,” and “when,” but these structures are often not controlled accurately. For example, “its air become cool and moist” has problems with agreement and sentence structure, while “the after it reaches the top” is an incomplete, confusing construction. There are also errors in articles and verb forms, as in “a type of a desert” and “when its doing downwards.” These frequent errors sometimes make the process difficult to follow. Practise forming clear subject–verb clauses, such as “As the moist air rises, it cools and clouds form,” and check agreement, articles, and punctuation when combining stages.

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