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 illustrates the process of how the formation of desert take place named as rain-shadow deserts, outlining seven steps from the sea to the inland.

Overall, the process consists of seven key stages, tracing the movements of winds from ocean to the rain shadow desert. This process takes place over thousands of kilometers.

The winds move towards the coastline of mountains, where it moves in upward direction. The air is cooled down as it rise along with this through condensation cloud is formed. The clouds formation takes place in front of Windward side of the mountain before rain falls. The rainfall take place on the windward side before it moves over the leeward side of the mountain.

The leeward side of the mountain is dry area. The dry air is move over the mountain, the process of drying continues. The winds move downward near to the land area. These dry winds reach the desert area as weather is less humid. This is how the Rain-shadow dessert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, from the ocean to the inland desert. You have identified the key features, such as the windward side, condensation, and the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the relationship between the mountain and the moisture levels. While you mention seven steps, the explanation of the transition from the windward to the leeward side could be more precise to fully capture the scientific process shown in the diagram. The summary is functional but could benefit from more specific terminology regarding the atmospheric changes described.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Overall' and 'This is how', to connect ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions are slightly awkward, such as 'along with this through condensation cloud is formed'. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas could be smoother if you used a wider variety of linking words to show cause and effect more explicitly, rather than relying on simple sentence structures to move through the steps.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'coastline', 'condensation', 'windward', and 'leeward'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the formation of desert take place' (should be 'the formation of the desert takes place') and 'near to the land area'. Additionally, there is some repetition of basic verbs like 'move' and 'take place'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise verbs and nouns related to meteorological processes, such as 'ascend', 'precipitate', or 'arid'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the formation of desert take place', 'rainfall take place', 'air is move') and missing articles ('in front of Windward side'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on ensuring that your verbs agree with their subjects and that you use articles correctly when referring to specific geographical features or processes.

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

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