Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 information about how rain-shadow desert formed naturally.

Overall, the rain-shadow desert depends upon seven steps procedure which occurs on high peaked mountains. There is the huge distance between sea coast and rain-shadow desert almost thousands of kilometers.

In the whole process the windward side and the leeward side remain unchanged.

First of all, the process starts with sea coast where winds approaching coast, in the next stage, the winds were pushed sharply upwards. Due to this the moist air rose up and became cool. In the further step, The clouds forms in the air and became the result of rain falls. In the sixth stage at the peak of mountain, the dry air was continued over the mountain in the leeward side. At the end of the stage, the dry winds was reached inland areas which was converted into rain-shadow desert.

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 student identifies the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation, the summary is somewhat superficial. The description of the seven-step process is a bit mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides. The inclusion of specific data points or a more detailed comparison between the moisture levels on either side of the mountain would have strengthened the response. To improve, ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed with sufficient depth and meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into a brief introduction and a body paragraph. While there is a logical progression from the sea coast to the inland desert, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic (e.g., 'In the further step', 'At the end of the stage'). The paragraphing is insufficient; the overview and the detailed process should ideally be separated to improve readability. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences feels a bit disjointed due to the limited variety of linking words used. Improving the transition between stages would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. Phrases like 'seven steps procedure' and 'huge distance' are functional but simplistic. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'winds approaching coast' (missing an article) and 'dry air was continued'. The student relies on basic descriptive language rather than utilizing more specific terminology related to geography or meteorology, such as 'precipitation', 'orographic lift', or 'arid'. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more precise academic terms would significantly improve the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Issues include inconsistent tense usage (e.g., 'winds were pushed' vs 'clouds forms'), missing articles ('starts with sea coast'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('dry winds was reached'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures. To reach a higher band, focus on consistent tense usage and ensuring that subject-verb agreement is accurate throughout the text.

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

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