Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-13

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 information about the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall,it is vivid that there are several stages involved in the formation of desert. Each step plays a vital role and is necessary to be followed to get the proper formation of desert.

On analyzing the diagram, firstly,the moist winds travel form sea to mountain side,then these winds pushed upwards the mountain. Then, the winds moist the air rises and cools down.Afterward,the moist air converted into clouds,towards the windward. one side of the mountains. Moreover,when the clouds collide,the rain falls on the one side of the mountain.

On the next stage,after raining ,the dry air continues yo move over the mountain to leeward sidee Then, this process continues until the dry winds reach the inland areas, Finally, this inland area becomes the rain -shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to rain falling on the mountain’s windward side and dry air reaching inland to create the desert. This covers the central process, but the overview is vague: “several stages” and saying each is “necessary” do not summarise the key contrast between rainfall on the windward side and aridity beyond the leeward side. Some details are unclear or inaccurate, such as “when the clouds collide”; the diagram shows clouds forming and rain falling, not clouds colliding. The response is also below the required 150 words, so it has limited space to explain the stages and their relationships. Add a precise overview and clarify how the air loses moisture before continuing inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order: an introduction and overview are followed by the windward stages and then the movement of dry air inland. Sequencing expressions such as “firstly,” “Afterward,” and “On the next stage” help the reader follow the process. However, several transitions feel mechanical, and punctuation makes connections difficult to track—for example, “Afterward,the moist air converted into clouds,towards the windward. one side” breaks a single idea into confusing fragments. The final sentence also joins stages with a comma after “areas.” Use clearer sentence boundaries and group related stages into complete sentences. More precise referencing, rather than repeatedly using “the winds” and “the air,” would also improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist,” “clouds,” “rain,” “dry air,” “leeward,” and “inland,” which allows the reader to recognise the main stages. However, the range is limited and several choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the process harder to understand: “the winds moist the air rises” and “the proper formation of desert” are not natural or precise expressions. There are also spelling errors such as “yo” and “sidee,” and inconsistent spelling in “rain -shadow.” Aim for accurate process verbs and standard forms, such as “rise,” “cool,” “condense,” and “reach.” Avoid repeating general words like “process” when a specific stage can be named.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the sequence is generally understandable. However, errors in verb forms, sentence construction, articles, and punctuation are frequent enough to make some relationships unclear. For example, “these winds pushed upwards the mountain” lacks an appropriate passive form, while “the winds moist the air rises and cools down” combines clauses without a workable grammatical structure. “The moist air converted into clouds” also needs a passive construction, and “the dry air continues yo move” contains an incorrect verb form. Practise describing processes with consistent present simple and passive forms, such as “the air is pushed upwards” and “clouds form.” Check sentence boundaries and commas, especially where one stage leads into the next.

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.