Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-24

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 process chart illustrates the information about the process of formation of rain-shadow desert .

Overview , there are seven steps in the process which are interlinked with each other. If any step is missed it will halt the whole procedure.

After analysing , it can be clearly seen that when wind approach to the coast it is pushed upward. While, it reached at windward side the moisture is raised and cooled. In the third step , the air forms the cloud fo

rm which causes the rain falls on the top of the mountain.

Moving further towards the remaining process ,the dry air is continued to moving over the mountain towards leeward side. In the last step , dry winds are finished at the inland are after thousands of kilometres and formed rain-shadow desert.

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 task achievement score. While the student identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the process. The overview provided is generic and does not highlight the key features of the diagram effectively. To improve, the student should provide a more comprehensive description of the atmospheric changes occurring at each stage, such as the specific role of moisture and temperature, to ensure a more thorough summary of the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into short paragraphs, which helps with readability. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'Moving further towards the remaining process'. The logical progression is present but feels disjointed due to the brevity of the sentences. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the steps could be smoother. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more naturally and improve the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'process of formation' and 'seven steps' are used, but there is a lack of more precise, academic terminology related to geography or meteorology. There are also some minor word-choice issues, such as 'dry winds are finished at the inland are', which is not idiomatic. To improve, the student should incorporate more specific vocabulary related to the diagram, such as 'prevailing winds', 'precipitation', or 'arid conditions', to demonstrate a broader range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'when wind approach to the coast it is pushed upward' (subject-verb agreement) and 'the air forms the cloud form which causes the rain falls' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. To improve, the student needs to focus on subject-verb agreement, correct verb tense usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without errors that distract the reader.

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

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