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)

Below is a drawing that illustrate the formation of a certain desert called a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, there are 7 processes on how the rain-shadow desert was created. More so, the desert is located below the mountain, thousands of kilometers away from the sea coast.

Firstly, the wind approaches the coast above the sea then pushes upward forming moist air which rises and cools, as a result, clouds form at the windward side and cause rain to fall. These process occur above a very huge mountain.

Rain drops fall towards the leeward side and ends in the inland areas. Dry air continues over the mountain down to the southeast of of the mountain. Finally, dry winds reach the inland areas which forms the rain-shadow desert. The sea is a thousand kilometers away from the desert making it dry and difficult for water to be accessible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation are identified, the description is somewhat superficial. The student attempts to summarize the process, but the explanation of the transition from the windward side to the leeward side lacks the necessary detail and precision expected for an Academic Task 1 response. Furthermore, the inclusion of specific details like 'southeast' is not supported by the provided diagram, suggesting an over-generalization or misinterpretation of the visual data. To improve, ensure all key stages are described accurately and the response meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'the mountain'. The transition between the windward and leeward sides could be smoother to better reflect the logical flow of the diagram. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the brevity of the text limit the effectiveness of the cohesion. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring clear referencing would enhance the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'very huge mountain' and 'water to be accessible' are functional but lack the precision and academic tone required for a higher band score. There are also minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'These process occur' (should be 'This process occurs'). To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to geography and meteorology, such as 'prevailing winds', 'precipitation', 'orographic lift', or 'arid conditions', rather than relying on general descriptive language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'drawing that illustrate' should be 'drawing that illustrates', and 'of of' is a repetitive typo. The subject-verb agreement is inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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

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