Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15
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 illustration below shows the formation of the rain shadow desert.
The formation of rain shadow has many steps . The formation starts when the winds in sea starts approaching the coast . This is first step of the formation. The winds after reaching coast starts being pushed upwards . The moist air among it rises upward and become cool.This is due to system higher the air rises cooler it becomes. when moist air becomes cools it becomes cloud. Before continue we should get little more explanation that is there are two sides in formation also one is windward side other is leeward side. The windward is facing sea the leeward is facing the inlands and deserts.
when clouds are formed after being cool down they rain down . The dry air continues moving over mountain and reaching the leeward side. As it continues the dry wind reaches the inlands as it is dry it rises temperature and cause formation of rain shadow desert . This formation happen over the thousands of kilometers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the transition from moist to dry air. However, the description is somewhat informal and lacks the precision required for an Academic Task 1 report. For instance, the explanation 'Before continue we should get little more explanation' is conversational and inappropriate for a formal report. While the key features are present, the summary lacks a clear overview or synthesis of the process, and the explanation of the temperature change is slightly inaccurate. To improve, focus on describing the visual data objectively without using meta-commentary or conversational filler.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or awkward. Phrases like 'This is first step' and 'Before continue we should get little more explanation' disrupt the flow and indicate a lack of control over linking words. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the windward and leeward descriptions could be smoother. To reach a higher band, use a wider range of cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'subsequently', or 'as a result' to connect ideas more naturally rather than relying on repetitive sentence structures.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate to describe the process but lacks the precision and academic tone expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'winds in sea' instead of 'sea breezes' or 'winds from the sea', and 'rain down' instead of 'precipitate'. The word choice is often simplistic, and there are minor errors in collocation, such as 'rises temperature' instead of 'increases the temperature'. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to geography and meteorology, such as 'moisture-laden', 'orographic lift', and 'arid conditions'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include missing articles ('in sea', 'on mountain'), subject-verb agreement errors ('winds... starts', 'formation... happen'), and awkward punctuation. For example, 'This is due to system higher the air rises cooler it becomes' is grammatically fragmented and difficult to follow. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and article usage would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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