Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-23

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 formation of deserts particularly rain-shadow desert. This process take place thousands of kilometres.

Overall, this rain-shadow deserts consist on 7 steps to form. Starting from sea where winds approached coast and end at where dry winds reached inland areas.

Began with winds that approached coast from sea, winds pushed upwards through mountains. On the windward side moist in air rises and cools. Consequently, clouds forms.

Furthermore, these clouds caused rain fall on the mountains. Rain water flows on the leeward side. After the rain stoped dry air continues to blow over mountains. Here dry winds reach inland areas. This formation of rain-shadow desert spread across thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the task. While you have identified the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation, the explanation is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully describe the process. The overview is also somewhat simplistic. To improve, you must expand on the descriptions of each stage, ensuring you provide a comprehensive summary of the process shown in the diagram. The current length prevents a full development of the information, leading to a lower score for task achievement.

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 somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Began with' and 'Furthermore' are used, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'end at where dry winds reached', which lacks a clear subject. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence connects logically to the next to create a more cohesive narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'winds', 'mountains', and 'clouds'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'consist on' (should be 'consist of') and 'moist in air' (should be 'moisture in the air'). To achieve a higher score, incorporate more specific scientific or descriptive terminology related to geographical processes, such as 'precipitation', 'atmospheric pressure', or 'arid conditions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. Several grammatical errors are present, such as 'This process take place' (should be 'takes place'), 'clouds forms' (should be 'clouds form'), and 'rain stoped' (spelling error: 'stopped'). Additionally, there are missing articles throughout the text, such as 'approached coast' instead of 'approached the coast'. These errors occur frequently enough to occasionally distract the reader. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your grammatical accuracy.

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

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