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 below illustrates the steps of rain-shadow desert formation. It starts from winds approach coast and ended up when the desert is formed.

Overall, the process is in seven steps starting from blow of wind above the sea and the dry wind reaches to inland areas to form desert. This whole procedure takes place on a snowy mountain where rain falls over it.

Firstly, wind came from the sea and pushes it upwards to the hill where it is rises and cool down. Atfer this initial step, it goes toward and make clouds and rain fall from these snowy clouds. Furthermore, on the leeward side of the mountain, dry air countinues over mountain and came to downward where it reaches to the downside of the specific mountain.

Atfer reaching the inland area, it is converted into rain-shadow desert. This overall process takes place on a whole mountain where rain and clouds takes place. The desert is formed by these steps in thousands kilometers of area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a process and give a broad overview of its seven stages, including the movement from the sea towards inland areas and the formation of a desert. However, several key details are incomplete or unclear: the wind is forced up the mountain, the rising moist air cools, clouds form, and rain falls on the windward side before dry air crosses the mountain to the leeward side. The description instead says the process occurs on a “snowy mountain,” which is not shown, and the final reference to “thousands kilometers of area” misinterprets the scale label, which indicates distance. To strengthen the response, report the stages more precisely and avoid adding unsupported features.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an identifiable beginning, overview and sequence of stages, and words such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore” and “Atfer reaching” help signal progression. However, the organisation is not consistently clear: the first paragraph says the process “starts from” the winds and “ended up” at the desert, while later paragraphs repeat that the process takes place on a mountain and that the desert is formed. Some references are difficult to follow, particularly “it goes toward” and “it reaches to the downside,” because the reader cannot readily tell whether “it” means the wind, air or clouds. Group the stages into a clear chronological account and use precise nouns or pronouns to connect each step.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “wind,” “coast,” “leeward side,” “dry air” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “blow of wind,” “hill” for the mountains, “snowy clouds,” and “downside of the specific mountain.” Spelling errors including “Atfer” and “countinues” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms from the diagram and natural collocations: for example, describe winds approaching the coast, being forced upwards, and dry air descending on the leeward side. This would make the process easier to understand without relying on repeated general words such as “steps” and “process.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including “where it is rises and cool down” and “on the leeward side of the mountain, dry air countinues over mountain.” However, errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between stages difficult to follow. Tense and agreement are inconsistent: “wind came” shifts to “pushes,” while “clouds takes place” uses a singular verb with a plural subject. There are also faulty verb forms and sentence patterns, as in “it is rises,” “it goes toward and make clouds,” and “the desert is formed by these steps.” Work on consistent present simple for process descriptions, subject–verb agreement, and complete clauses. More accurate basic sentences would improve clarity before adding complex structures.

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