Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16
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 presented diagram demonstrates the process of the formation of rain-shadow deserts that is going through seven steps.
Overall, formation process goes through seven steps and the rain starts at the top of the mountain. There is thousands of kilometres away from sea to inland for rain-shadow desert.
Starting from the bottom where coast and sea together get the winds and the winds approach the coast towards the mountain. winds pushed upwards and afterwards winds starting to convert into moisture and air became mor rises and cools. Furthermore, the moist air converted into clouds form.
On the top of the mountain process from the bottom ends and rain starting falls down and alongside with windward side in the left side of the mountain and leeward side in the right side. Besides that the air becoming dry and continues over mountain. In the last step the dry winds reach to the inland area and starts the rain-shadow desert.
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 identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, such as the movement of moist air from the sea, the cooling and condensation over the mountain, and the resulting dry air on the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat fragmented and lacks a clear, cohesive overview of the meteorological principles involved. While the key features are mentioned, the explanation of the 'rain-shadow' effect itself is slightly underdeveloped, and the reference to 'seven steps' is not clearly mapped to the visual information provided. To improve, ensure that the relationship between the windward and leeward sides is explained more precisely to demonstrate a full understanding of the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Furthermore, the moist air converted into clouds form' and 'Besides that the air becoming dry'. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the movement of air across the mountain. The logical flow is present but requires more sophisticated linking words and better control over sentence structure to ensure a smoother transition between the stages of the process.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'get', 'pushed', and 'starts', which limits the sophistication of the report. Some word choices are awkward or incorrect, such as 'air became mor rises' and 'clouds form'. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific terminology related to geography and meteorology, such as 'condensation', 'precipitation', 'prevailing winds', and 'topography'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and adverbs would also help to convey the process more clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('winds pushed upwards', 'rain starting falls'), incorrect verb forms ('air became mor rises'), and missing articles or prepositions ('reach to the inland area'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent tense usage and correct sentence building will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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