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 image illustrates the creation rain-shadow desert by the action of moist and dry air over a mountain.

Overall, the rain-shadow desert is a result of two major events that take place; one on the Windward side relating to the moist air and other on the Leeward side accounting of the dry air.

Firstly, the wind at the sea level blows to the coast, from where it is pushed upwards towards the Windward side of the mountain. The mountain itself is huge, with its width expanding to thousands of kilometres. However, on the Windward side of the mountain, the moist air rises uphill and cools down leading to the formation of clouds. When the clouds achieve its maximum density, they pour down as rain, at the peak of the mountain. The mountain absorbs all the moisture, producing dry air.

Moreover, the dry air then blows downhill, as a result of its low density, on the Leeward side of the mountain. The dry breeze finally reaches the inland at the bottom, giving rise to a desert, namely, rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow effect. You successfully contrast the windward and leeward sides. However, there are some inaccuracies in the description; for instance, stating that the mountain 'absorbs all the moisture' is scientifically imprecise based on the provided diagram, which depicts moisture being released as precipitation. Additionally, the claim that the mountain's width expands to 'thousands of kilometres' is an over-generalisation not supported by the visual data. To improve, ensure your summary remains strictly faithful to the provided information and avoids adding external, potentially incorrect, scientific assumptions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, moving from an introduction to the windward process and finally the leeward outcome. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'as a result of' helps guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise. For example, the phrase 'other on the Leeward side accounting of the dry air' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a task of this nature.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'moist', 'density', and 'inland'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'accounting of the dry air' is non-standard, and 'pour down as rain' is slightly informal. There is also a minor error in the opening sentence: 'creation rain-shadow desert' is missing a preposition ('of a'). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise scientific terminology and ensuring that your collocations sound natural in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips. For instance, 'When the clouds achieve its maximum density' contains a subject-verb agreement error ('its' should be 'their'). Additionally, the sentence 'The image illustrates the creation rain-shadow desert' is missing an article. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring subject-verb agreement and article usage would improve your score significantly.

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

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