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 illustrate how formation of rain- shadow deserts. It present the sequence of stages involved in a natural rain- shadow process.

Overall, the process consists of several main stages, beginning with the winds approach coast and winds pushed upwards and ending with the dry winds reach inland areas. It is a process that involves winds pushed upwards , Rain falls and dry air continues over mountain.

The process begins when winds approach coasts from sea push upwards. Next. the moist air rises and cools is go to windward side. after that make could form and Rain falls on mountain. and the mountain extended on thousands of kilometres area.

In the following steps, after rain falls on top of the mountain than dry air continues over mountain and after the process rain shadow gradually decline and the dry winds each inland areas and drop water. This the small process of formation of rain shadow

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a process and report several central stages, including winds approaching from the sea, air rising and cooling, rain falling, and dry air moving inland. This gives the reader a basic account of the sequence. However, the overview mostly repeats stages rather than summarising the key cause-and-effect pattern: moist air loses its water on the windward side, leaving dry air to descend or continue across the leeward side and create an inland rain-shadow desert. Some details are unclear or inaccurate, especially “the mountain extended on thousands of kilometres area” and the claim that the dry winds “drop water.” The response therefore covers the task only partially, with relevant but under-developed information. Focus on accurately explaining the contrast between the wet windward side and dry inland side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an identifiable beginning, overview, and two process paragraphs, and it generally attempts to follow the diagram’s sequence. Connectors such as “Overall,” “The process begins,” “Next,” and “In the following steps” help signal stages. However, progression is not consistently clear because several links are incomplete or awkward, including “Next. the moist air rises…” and “after rain falls on top of the mountain than dry air continues.” The overview also repeats stage descriptions without establishing a clear summary, while the final sentence adds little and does not provide a clear ending. Organise the stages in a straightforward sequence, using one clear sentence for each cause-and-effect link and avoiding repeated summaries.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “rain falls,” and “dry air,” which helps convey the topic. There are also attempts to use more specific terms such as “rain-shadow” and “inland areas.” However, word choice and spelling errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow: “make could form” appears to mean clouds form, “each inland areas” is unclear, and “drop water” conflicts with the intended description of dry winds. The phrase “rain shadow gradually decline” is also imprecise. Aim for accurate collocations and consistent spelling of key terms. For example, describe clouds forming and precipitation falling, then explain that dry winds reach the inland area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response uses sequencing clauses to describe a process. However, control is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make several sentences difficult to understand. Examples include “The diagram illustrate,” “It present,” and “the moist air rises and cools is go,” where subject–verb agreement and verb forms are not controlled. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also problematic, as in “Next. the moist air…” and the long sequence beginning “after that make…”. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, such as “The winds approach the coast and are forced upwards.” Then connect them with correctly formed clauses, checking agreement, articles, and tense.

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

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