Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12

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 shows the formation of rain shadow deserts which is one type of desert and reported its significant features.

There are seven steps for the formation of rain shadow desert. Firstly, winds blow from the sea and moves towards the mountains in windward direction. The air pushes upward where they collected and the moist air rises where they cool down. As they cool down, clouds begin to form and consequently rain begins to fall. While dry air continues to move over the mountains in Leeward direction and finally, dry air reaches the inland areas. It is that area where the rain shadow desert are formed. Moreover, rain shadow desert is present on the other side of mountains and air travel thousands of kilometres from sea to mountains and finally desert are formed. Furthermore, the steps start from the approaching of air to the Coast and then formation of cloud to rainfall. At last the desert is formed in the Inland areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a basic overview of the process, but it fails to effectively highlight the main features or make clear comparisons. The description is somewhat repetitive, and the logical flow of the process is obscured by the way the information is presented. While the student identifies the steps, the explanation lacks the analytical depth required for a Band 6 or higher. The response focuses on listing steps rather than synthesizing the information into a coherent summary of the diagram's key stages. To improve, focus on grouping the stages (e.g., the windward side vs. the leeward side) to provide a more structured and comparative summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into two paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', 'At last'). There is a lack of logical progression between sentences, making the text feel like a list of observations rather than a cohesive report. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'It is that area where the rain shadow desert are formed,' which lacks a clear antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically upon the previous one would significantly enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Terms like 'moves', 'pushes', 'formed', and 'air' are used frequently without much variation. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'approaching of air' instead of 'approach of air' or 'windward direction' used slightly awkwardly. While the student uses some relevant technical terms like 'windward', 'leeward', and 'inland', the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise verbs and descriptive adjectives to explain the process more fluently and with greater sophistication.

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. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'rain shadow desert are formed' (should be 'is formed' or 'deserts are formed') and 'winds... moves' (should be 'move'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'in windward direction' (should be 'in a windward direction'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would be beneficial.

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

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