Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-03

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 presents the steps of how one type of desert known as rain-shadow desert is formed.

From the broader overview, it can be seen that water is collected by the clouds, and then it rains on the mountains. In contrast, mountains act as a barrier that stops rain to fall on the deserts. This process covers thousands of kilometers to complete and a combination of sea, mountain, and inland areas.

On the one side of the mountain, the wind starts approaching the coast via a sea. Once it reaches the coast, it moves upwards. While going upwards towards the sky, wind also carries moisture in the air, it rises and cools at high altitude. As soon as it cools down, cloud formation takes place through which it rains.

Furthermore, the rain falls over the mountain and makes the island green. On the other side, dry air continues to flow over the mountain towards the leeward side. However, this air contains a greater amount of humidity. This air reaches the inland areas, which are the bare lands. This makes the land warm, creating the rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying the wind, moisture, mountain barrier, and the resulting dry leeward side. However, the description contains some inaccuracies that misrepresent the scientific process shown in the diagram. For instance, you mention that the air on the leeward side 'contains a greater amount of humidity,' which contradicts the concept of a rain-shadow desert where the air is notably dry. Additionally, the term 'island' is used to describe the windward side, which is not supported by the diagram. While the main features are reported, the lack of precision in interpreting the visual data limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, a general overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'In contrast,' and 'As soon as' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by the factual inaccuracies mentioned in the task achievement section. The referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a process description task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'moisture,' 'altitude,' 'leeward side,' and 'humidity.' There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as referring to the windward side as an 'island' and the misuse of 'greater amount of humidity' when describing the dry air. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the general intent, they indicate a need for more precise terminology when describing scientific or geographical processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'stops rain to fall' (should be 'stops rain from falling') and 'how one type of desert known as rain-shadow desert' (missing an article). Punctuation is generally functional, though some sentence structures are slightly awkward. The majority of the sentences are clear, and the errors do not significantly impede communication, but the control over complex structures is not consistent enough for a higher band.

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