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)

The diagram shows the process hoe rain-shadow desert is formed, showing how moist air passes over the mountain before reaching the inland areas.

Overall, the process involves seven main stages, it begins with wind approaching the coast and which ends with dry winds reaching the inland areas. Rain falls mainly happens in Windward side while Leeward side receives little or no rain falls. Resulting in the formation of a desert.

First, Winds travel to the coast then are forced and pushed upwards where the moist air rises alongside the Winward side, it also cools causing the clouds to form and going further upward leads to rain. With rain falling on the upper part of Windward side. most of the moist in the air is lost before crossing the mountain range.

After passing over the mountain range the air becomes dry and the dry air continues over the mountain in the Leeward side it remains dry and the wind reaches the inland areas. Since the Leeward side receives small amount of rain drops a rain-shadow desert develops on the Leeward side which is thousands of kilometres from the coast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

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, which is essential for this task. However, the overview is slightly weak; it lists the number of stages rather than summarizing the core mechanism (the loss of moisture as air rises). To improve, ensure your overview highlights the fundamental relationship between mountain elevation and precipitation patterns. The description of the process is generally accurate, though some details, such as the mention of 'thousands of kilometres', are not explicitly supported by the provided diagram, which is a minor issue in task focus.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices like 'First', 'After', and 'Overall', which provide a basic structure. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and punctuation errors, such as the comma splice in '...seven main stages, it begins with...'. Additionally, the use of referencing is sometimes mechanical. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your sentences are connected more fluidly rather than relying on simple sequential markers.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'mountain range' correctly. There are some minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'most of the moist in the air' (should be 'moisture') and 'rain falls' (should be 'rainfall'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology and ensuring correct word forms (e.g., noun vs. adjective usage) to enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the Winward side'), verb forms ('rain falls mainly happens'), and punctuation (comma splices). For example, 'Winds travel to the coast then are forced and pushed upwards' lacks necessary conjunctions or punctuation to be grammatically sound. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Reducing the number of run-on sentences will significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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