Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-04

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 image illustrates the process of formation of rain shadow deserts.

There is a mountain, in which left side shows the windward slide, whereas the right side of mountains is the leeward side. The whole process was gone through numerous steps. There is a huge gap of thousands of kilometres between the coast and the Inland. The first step is the winds approach coast from the sea level. Then, winds pushed coast in the upward direction. In contrast, the moist air rises and cools. The next step is the formation of clouds which resulted in rain falls.

Moving toward the next step, in which dry air continues over mountain in leeward side. However, the last step is for dry winds to reach inland areas which results in the formation of rain shadow deserts.

Overall, the diagram shows how the rain shadow deserts go through several steps for its formation from sea to the Inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the progression from sea to inland. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks precision in explaining the meteorological mechanisms. For instance, the phrase 'winds pushed coast in the upward direction' is vague and does not accurately describe the orographic lift process shown in the diagram. While the main stages are identified, the response would benefit from more detailed reporting of the specific conditions (moisture, temperature changes) at each stage to fully satisfy the requirements of an Academic Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into a logical sequence, moving from the windward side to the leeward side. Paragraphing is present, though the structure is quite basic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The first step', 'Moving toward the next step', and 'However', but they are somewhat repetitive and mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the causal relationships between the air movement and the formation of the desert.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected for a higher band. Terms like 'huge gap', 'pushed', and 'gone through' are quite general. While the student correctly uses technical terms like 'windward', 'leeward', and 'rain shadow', the overall lexical range is limited. There is a reliance on simple verbs and basic sentence structures, which restricts the ability to describe the process with the necessary academic tone and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'The image illustrates the process of formation of rain shadow deserts' (missing articles), 'There is a mountain, in which left side shows' (incorrect preposition/article usage), and 'winds pushed coast' (missing article). Additionally, 'The whole process was gone through' is an awkward passive construction. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score to a 5.5.

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

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