Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram illustrates the formation of a desert, called a rain shadow desert. Overall, it is clear that, the process consists of seven major stages, beginning from the wind approaching the coast and ending with the formation of a rain shadow desert.

Initially, the winds from sea level approach the coastal area and then pushed upward up toward the mountains. Later, moist air rises and cools, with the formation of cluster of clouds. Now, moisture condenses and rain fall occurs .This five stages of desert formation occurs on the windward side of the mountains.

After that, dry air continues to accumulate over the mountain on the leeward side, which then start moving downward to inland areas. Once dry winds reach inland areas, a rain shadow desert is formed The entire process ends with the formation of rain shadow deserts which is thousands of kilometers away from the coastal zone.

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. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides. While the process is outlined, the explanation of the 'rain shadow' phenomenon itself—the lack of moisture on the leeward side—could be more explicitly linked to the preceding stages. The summary is accurate but stays quite close to the visual information without providing a more sophisticated synthesis of the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Later', and 'After that' are used to sequence the stages. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive or simplistic. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the cause-and-effect nature of the process more fluidly. Referencing is generally clear, though the structure of the final paragraph is a bit abrupt.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'coastal area', 'moisture', 'condenses', and 'leeward side'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'cluster of clouds' or 'rain fall occurs'. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of descriptive verbs and nouns related to geographical processes. The current vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning but lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the winds... and then pushed' (missing auxiliary verb), 'This five stages' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'rain shadow desert is formed The entire process' (missing punctuation between sentences). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct punctuation would improve the score.

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

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