Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19

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)

Task: 1

The given diagram illustrates the process of formation of one kind of desert which is known as a rain-shadow desert. Evidently, mountains play crucial role in the whole process.

It can be seen from the diagram that the process initiate with the sea level where winds approach to the coast. Then these winds pushed upwards. Afterwards, moist air rises and cools at a windward side. Subsequently, clouds are form. Then, rain falls at the top of the mountain.

After that, onec, the rain falls at the top, dry air continuesty flow over mountain. The dry air flow towards the a leeward side. Lastly, the dry winds reach to inland areas. It is the area where the rain-shadow desert formates. There is a thousands of kilometers. Overall, the formation of rain-shadow deserts begings with the difference between the sea and the inland.

Overall, the formation of rain-shadow beings at the sea level with winds and ends at inland with dry winds.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the resulting rain-shadow effect. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear overview of the key features. While the main steps are mentioned, the explanation of the meteorological process is slightly disjointed. The inclusion of 'There is a thousands of kilometers' is vague and does not effectively interpret the visual information provided in the diagram. To reach a higher band, the response should provide a more cohesive summary of the relationship between the moisture, the mountain barrier, and the resulting desert formation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is repetitive and mechanical, relying heavily on simple transition words like 'Then', 'Afterwards', and 'Subsequently'. Some sentences are poorly linked, such as 'There is a thousands of kilometers', which lacks a clear connection to the preceding information. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall progression of ideas feels somewhat stilted rather than flowing naturally. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence logically follows the previous one would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic terms like 'process', 'winds', and 'dry'. There are several instances of word-formation errors, such as 'formates' instead of 'forms' and 'begings' instead of 'begins'. The student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'windward' and 'leeward', which is positive, but the overall range is insufficient to convey the information with precision. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied verbs and nouns related to geographical processes and ensure correct word forms are used throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include 'mountains play crucial role' (missing article), 'process initiate' (subject-verb agreement), 'clouds are form' (passive voice error), and 'dry air continuesty flow' (spelling and verb form errors). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, article usage, and consistent verb tenses is essential.

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

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