Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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 pictorial representation illustrates the process of creation rain- shadow over the desert.

Overall, it is evident that there are numerous step to formation of rain-shadow over the deserts while it begin with wind approach coast area and end with dry winds reach inland areas. There process is followed by thousands of kilometres.

To begin with, the wind approach coastal area over from the sea then winds pushed upwards the mountains afterwards, clouds from at windward side on mountain. Additionally, the clouds form transform into raining clouds furthermore they start the over the hill while the rain drop towards down hill.

Shifting towards the remaining information, the dry air then continues to fall over mountain by a leeward side, significantly, the dry winds reach on an inland areas and collected their after that the formation of rain- shadow is created on the desert inland. Lastly, the wind travel while making cloud and then rain-shadow procedure over thousands of kilometres.

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 initial wind movement to the final creation of the desert. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in identifying key geographical features shown in the diagram, such as the specific windward and leeward sides or the elevation changes. While the main features are identified, the explanation of the process is occasionally unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the connection between the 'thousands of kilometres' and the process is vague. To improve, ensure that each stage is described with greater clarity and that the relationship between the wind, moisture, and topography is explicitly linked.

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 mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'furthermore' and 'additionally' in ways that do not always logically connect the ideas. The referencing is occasionally confusing, particularly in the second paragraph where the flow between the wind movement and cloud formation is disjointed. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows logically into the next would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary range is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choices and incorrect collocations, such as 'creation rain-shadow over the desert' instead of 'the formation of a rain-shadow desert' and 'the wind approach coastal area' instead of 'winds approach the coastal area'. The use of 'raining clouds' is also non-standard; 'rain-bearing clouds' or 'precipitation' would be more appropriate. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise scientific terminology related to weather processes and improving your control over basic collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'there are numerous step', 'clouds from at windward side'), missing articles ('the' before 'windward side'), and incorrect verb forms ('the wind travel'). While there is an attempt to use complex sentence structures, these are often marred by errors, leading to a lack of clarity. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that articles are used correctly before nouns.

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