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 given diagram elucidates the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Taking a general overview, thousands of kilometers away from the sea coast, a rain-shadow desert is formed. This process involves seven stages in total.

It is pellucid that the first step involved in forming the deserts is the winds approaching the coast of the sea. These winds are then pushed up towards the windward side of the mountains. Such winds increases the moist air and becomes cooler while moving upwards. In the fourth stage. clouds are formed as a result of colder winds. Consequently, the rain starts to pour.

Moving further, the rain drops releases dry air that flows down the mountain towards the leeward side. Subsequently, the dry air reaches the inland area of the hill in the seven stage. At this inland area of the mountain, a desert called rain-shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While the summary of the process is generally accurate, the description is somewhat simplistic. The explanation of the 'rain-shadow' effect could be more detailed, particularly regarding the temperature changes and the specific nature of the air on the leeward side. Because the response is under the word limit, the development of the ideas is restricted, preventing a more thorough analysis of the diagram's features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from an overview to a step-by-step description of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Moving further', 'Subsequently', and 'Consequently' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of the stages is clear, and the reader can follow the sequence of events without difficulty. However, the paragraphing is somewhat unbalanced, with a very short introductory paragraph and a brief overview, which limits the overall flow of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with some precise terms like 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'inland area'. However, there are some awkward word choices, such as 'pellucid' (which is overly formal and slightly unnatural in this context) and 'rain drops releases dry air' (which is grammatically and logically imprecise). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptive verbs. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more varied and precise terminology related to meteorological processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Such winds increases' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'in the seven stage' (incorrect article/ordinal usage). Additionally, the phrase 'the rain drops releases' contains a subject-verb disagreement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over complex structures. More attention to subject-verb agreement and accurate prepositional usage is required to reach a higher band.

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

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