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 given image illustrates about how single type of desert have been recognized as a rain- shadow desert where it is shaped. Generally, there were mountains with area covered of thousands of kilometer's which were located near the sea coast area and inland areas where the rain-shadow effect happens. It mainly covers the various steps of the process of rain-shadow desert.

Firstly, surface of sea region have winds which were approaches to the coast and afterwards winds were pushed upwards to the giant mountains where moist air rises and cools. Secondly, formations of clouds take place in the windward side of the mountains and at the top, usually rain falls were been occurred.

Thirdly, where dry air continues over mountain at the leeward side and it reaches at the low region of the mountains and dry winds reach at the inland areas. It show significant role in the inland area where rain-shadow desert mainly originated and due to this reason, it is know as rain-show desert

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying the windward side, the mountain barrier, and the leeward side. However, the overview is somewhat weak, as it does not clearly synthesize the overall process. The description of the stages is generally accurate, but some details are slightly imprecise, such as the reference to 'thousands of kilometer's' which is not supported by the diagram. To improve, ensure that the summary highlights the contrast between the moist windward side and the arid leeward side more explicitly. The response addresses the prompt's requirements but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. The use of sequencing words like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Thirdly' provides a basic structure. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final sentence where the connection between the process and the desert's name is slightly repetitive. Paragraphing is used, but the logical progression could be smoother. The transition between the description of the mountains and the resulting climate effect on the leeward side could be better linked to improve the overall flow of the explanation.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'illustrates about how' and 'rain falls were been occurred'. The use of 'giant mountains' and 'low region' is somewhat simplistic. While the student successfully uses technical terms like 'windward' and 'leeward', the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive or grammatically incorrect word choices. Spelling errors, such as 'rain-show', also detract from the overall quality.

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. Examples include 'winds which were approaches', 'rain falls were been occurred', and 'it is know as'. The misuse of passive voice and tense consistency is evident throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic verb forms and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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

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