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 illustrates the formation of one of type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the formation process includes seven stages from winds from the coast transform into rain falls at the top of the mountain to the dry winds creating the rain-shadow desert when reaching the inland areas experiencing thousands of kilometres.

Firstly, winds from the sea is pushed upwards by the windward side of the mountain when reaching the coast. Then the moist air rises and cools to clouds form. Once it reaches the top of the mountain it creates rain falls.

Consequently, dry air from the rain falls continues to fall by the leeward side of the mountain. When dry winds reaches the inland areas it creates the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and give a broad overview of the seven-stage process, including rainfall over the mountains and the eventual formation of a desert inland. However, the account is incomplete and some stage relationships are unclear: for example, “moist air rises and cools to clouds form” does not clearly report that clouds form after cooling, and the description of dry air “continues to fall” misrepresents the diagram, which shows it continuing over the mountain. The response also contains only 117 words, below the required 150, so the process is not developed in enough detail. Add the windward-to-leeward contrast and explain the sequence more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence, using “Firstly,” “Then,” and “Consequently” to guide the reader through the process. The opening overview also signals that there are seven stages. However, the progression is not consistently clear because several stages are compressed into awkward links, such as “rises and cools to clouds form” and “Once it reaches the top … it creates rain falls.” The final paragraph also repeats the idea of dry air and winds without clearly showing how the air crosses the mountain before reaching inland. Use separate, clearly ordered sentences for the main stages and make references such as “it” unambiguous.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the diagram’s main setting. However, the range is limited and some word combinations are inaccurate or unnatural, making parts of the process difficult to interpret. For instance, “winds … transform into rain falls” and “it creates rain falls” do not express the stages clearly; “rainfall occurs” would be more natural. “Dry air from the rain falls” also confuses the air with the precipitation. Aim for precise process verbs such as “rise,” “cool,” “condense,” “cross,” and “reach,” and avoid repeating “creates” where a more exact verb is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer clauses, and the sequence is generally understandable. However, errors are frequent, particularly with subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence construction. Examples include “winds from the sea is pushed upwards” and “dry winds reaches,” where the verb does not agree with the plural subject. The phrase “one of type of desert” is also missing an article, while “rises and cools to clouds form” joins clauses incorrectly. These problems sometimes make the relationships between stages unclear. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions and build complex sentences with clear connectors, checking agreement and articles in each clause.

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