Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-22

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 illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts can be with the seven steps for thousands of kilometres.

Overall, sea are form winds approach coast from one side of mountain. Thenafter, Moist air rises and cools then form a clouds. Then, the rain falls occur. on the other side of mountains in which six step will done the dry air containers and outcome is Rain-shadow desert.

Initially, The sea has the winds approach coast then next step in which winds pushed in upwards direction from one side of the mountains. Futhermore, third step in which Moist air rises and started cooling. In addition, Windward side will form the clouds and then rainfall occur in the another side of mountains.

Next step in which the Dry air continues over the Leeward side then Last step in which the Dry winds reach at the inland areas. Consequently, Rain-shodow desert is form with help of this seven steps.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response attempts to describe the process of rain-shadow desert formation. While the main features are identified, the description is somewhat mechanical and relies heavily on listing steps rather than synthesizing the information into a cohesive process. The overview is present but lacks clarity due to grammatical issues. The response covers the key stages from the sea to the inland desert, but the explanation of the scientific process is slightly disjointed. To improve, focus on describing the causal relationship between the rising air, cooling, and precipitation more fluidly, rather than simply labeling them as 'step one', 'step two', etc.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive and sometimes misused, such as 'Thenafter' and 'Next step in which'. The progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, making the flow feel mechanical. While there is an attempt to use linking words like 'Consequently' and 'Furthermore', the overall structure lacks the sophisticated control required for a higher band. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring they are used naturally would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'dry air containers' instead of 'dry air continues' or 'the rain falls occur'. The student relies on basic terminology and struggles with precise scientific collocations related to the diagram. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to geographical processes, such as 'moisture-laden', 'condensation', 'leeward slope', and 'arid conditions', while ensuring these terms are used in the correct grammatical context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'sea are form'), article usage (e.g., 'form a clouds'), and sentence structure (e.g., 'the rain falls occur'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some attempts at complex ones that are often grammatically flawed. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that verbs are correctly conjugated and that articles are used appropriately with countable and uncountable nouns.

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

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