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 graphic illustrates how a specific type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, it is a natural process and contains 7 different stages. The rain-shadow desert formation process occur on the mountains. It begins with winds, moist air and cloud formation and ends with dry winds reach inland areas which form the rain-shadow desert.

To begin with, winds approach shoreline of the sea and as a result, winds pushed upwards. Winds combines with moist air. After that. moist air rises and become cool. Therefore, it form clouds. Due to the formation of clouds, rain falls happen. These five stages occur in the windward side of mountains.

In leeward side of the mountains, only two stages occur. After rain falls, air become dry. Dry air continues over the mountain . In the last stage, dry winds reach inland areas and thus rain-shadow desert forms. This full process completes within thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the process, identifying the windward and leeward sides of the mountain. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a cohesive overview of the meteorological principles involved. While the stages are identified, the explanation of the transition from moist air to dry air is slightly simplistic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to synthesize the information more effectively, perhaps by grouping the stages into broader phases (e.g., the ascent and condensation phase versus the descent and rain-shadow phase) rather than listing them sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and mechanical, such as the frequent use of 'After that' and 'In the last stage'. There are also minor punctuation errors, such as 'After that. moist air rises', which disrupt the flow. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your sentences are connected more fluidly to show the relationship between the stages of the process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'condensation' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'rain falls happen' instead of 'precipitation occurs' or 'rainfall occurs'. The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic verbs like 'form' and 'occur'. To improve, incorporate more precise scientific terminology related to geography and meteorology to demonstrate a more sophisticated control of language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('process occur', 'winds pushed', 'air become dry') and missing articles ('on the mountains', 'in the windward side'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will 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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