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 given diagram illustrates how rain-shadow deserts formed.

From an overall perspective, it is crystal clear that it has several layers of rain-shadow deserts, which starts from winds approach to coast, and it ends from when dry winds reach in inland areas.

Initially, the process starts from, wind approached from the coastal areas, after those winds pushed in the upwards direction in windward side. In the subsequent stage, most air increases as well as freezing. The next stage involves; it formed clouds when the moist air and cool process is done. In the next step, suddenly rain falls after clouds formed.

moving further, when rain falls, then dry air continues over mountain in the leeward side. The following phase involves, when the dry winds reach in the inland areas then it starts the formation of rain-show deserts. And it covered thousands of kilometers between coastal sea side and inland .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, covering the movement of wind, the cooling of air, cloud formation, and the resulting dry conditions on the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides. While the key features are present, the explanation of the process is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'most air increases as well as freezing,' which misinterprets the scientific process. To reach a higher band, ensure that the description of the process is more accurate and logically connected to the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive and sometimes awkward. Phrases like 'In the next step,' 'moving further,' and 'The following phase involves' are used mechanically. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'it' without a clear antecedent in the second paragraph. The progression of ideas is present, but the flow between sentences is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which makes the text feel disjointed rather than fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary range is limited and often imprecise. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'most air' (likely intended to be 'moist air') and 'wind approached from the coastal areas' (which is grammatically and colocationally weak). The student relies on basic vocabulary to describe the process, and some terms are used incorrectly, such as 'freezing' to describe the cooling of air. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise scientific terminology related to weather patterns and ensure that collocations are natural and accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with verb tense consistency (e.g., 'deserts formed' vs 'starts'), incorrect preposition usage ('reach in inland'), and faulty sentence structure (e.g., 'The next stage involves; it formed clouds'). The student relies primarily on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as the run-on sentence in the second paragraph. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the misuse of semicolons and commas. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement is needed.

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