Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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 formation rain-shadow desert and the necessary steps of how it is formed.

Overall, the formation of rain-shadow deserts is a linear process. There are seven primary steps were involved, where initially sea acts as a initiator to start the process and later the process finishes thousands of kilometer in the inland where it becomes rain-shadow desert.

At first, winds from sea hits the coast line of the mountains and pushed upwards. Following this, the moisture of the air rises and cools after hitting the windward side which later results in formation of clouds. Subsequently, this prompts advancement of rain formation.

Afterward the rain, dry air continues to flow over the mountain and hit the leeward side of it. This results in dry air reaches the inland of the desert the form the rain shadow desert. The estimated distance between the starting point and finishing points is almost thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow process. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the windward and leeward sides, the explanation of the physical mechanisms—such as the cooling of air leading to precipitation and the subsequent warming of air on the leeward side—is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, ensure that the causal links between the stages are explained more precisely. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the contrast between the wet windward side and the arid leeward side, which is the core of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'Following this', 'Subsequently', and 'Afterward' to guide the reader through the sequence. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the sentence 'This results in dry air reaches the inland', where the grammatical structure disrupts the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial stages from the final outcome, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic verbs like 'hits', 'pushed', and 'finishes'. While these are understandable, they do not demonstrate the range required for higher bands. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'sea acts as a initiator' (should be 'an initiator') and 'thousands of kilometer' (should be 'kilometers'). To improve, try to incorporate more specific scientific or descriptive terminology related to geography and meteorology, such as 'moisture-laden air', 'orographic lift', or 'arid conditions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the clarity of the message. Examples include 'The diagram illustrates the formation rain-shadow desert' (missing 'of a'), 'There are seven primary steps were involved' (incorrect verb tense/structure), and 'dry air reaches the inland' (should be 'the dry air reaches'). These errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as well as ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with accurate verb forms.

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.