Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-12

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 the type of desert which is known as rain shadow desert when it is formed.

Overall, for formation of rain shadow desert it require seven steps.

The mountain is situated under thousands of kilometers Firstly, wind approaches the shore of the sea then the wind wreck with mountains and pushed upwards by the mountain. The left side of mountain is windward side. Now it becomes moisture of air rises up and cools Beside the windward side clouds are formed and the clouds become black or grey in colors as rain falls from the clouds so when the rain drops fall on mountain the dry air continues on the leeward side which is right side of the mountain and in the middle of mountain.

Furthermore, dry wind goes down reaches to inland areas then the air is distributed all over the hilly areas. These are the seven steps of rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as having seven stages and include its main sequence: winds approach the coast, rise over the mountains, rain falls on the windward side, and dry air reaches inland. This gives the reader a broadly relevant account. However, some important details are unclear or inaccurate: “the mountain is situated under thousands of kilometers” misrepresents the scale marker, and the claim that air is “distributed all over the hilly areas” is not shown. The overview also only says there are seven steps rather than summarising the key cause-and-effect pattern: moist air loses its moisture on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert inland on the leeward side. Clarifying these features would make the report more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the broad order of the diagram, and words such as “Firstly,” “then,” and “Furthermore” help signal sequence. However, the stages are crowded into a long, difficult-to-follow paragraph, with limited separation between the overview and the detailed account. Connections between ideas are sometimes unclear: “Now it becomes moisture of air rises up and cools Beside the windward side clouds are formed” does not show clearly how one stage leads to the next. The final sentence repeats that these are seven steps rather than adding a clear concluding point. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and process, and connect each stage with precise sequencing and cause-and-effect links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “clouds,” and “inland areas,” which helps convey the diagram’s subject. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, sometimes making the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “the wind wreck with mountains” does not express that the wind is forced upwards, and “it becomes moisture of air” is not a clear description of moist air rising. “Rain shadow desert” also needs consistent, accurate naming. The range is sufficient to attempt the process, but repeated use of basic terms such as “wind,” “mountain,” and “air” limits precision. Choose standard process phrases and use them consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the sequence is generally recognisable despite grammatical problems. However, complex sentences are often faulty or run together, as in “The left side of mountain is windward side. Now it becomes moisture of air rises up and cools Beside the windward side clouds are formed.” This passage has unclear clause structure and missing punctuation. There are also recurring errors in agreement and verb forms, such as “it require seven steps” and “wind approaches … then the wind … pushed upwards.” Articles and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent. Build shorter, complete sentences first, then combine stages using accurate clauses—for example, “As moist air rises over the mountain, it cools and forms clouds.”

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