Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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)

In the given image represents the complete process of forming rain-shadow desert passing from different seven stages around the mountain that have two sides and contains the thousands of kilometers of land.

Overall, it's all about converting the sea into the desert by going through various steps and the mountain is the central point.

The mountain is divided into two parts; one is Windward side and other is Leeward side. First step is winds approaching coast from Windward side from the sea level and pushing upwards. When air comes the half of the mountain it turns down cool and moist and forms clouds. The clouds when reach the top it starts raining.

Then on the Leeward side of the mountain, after the rainfall dry air continues coming down from the mountain and at the last stage those dry winds reach the inland areas. that dryness of Inland is called a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the formation of the rain-shadow. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks precision. For instance, the phrase 'thousands of kilometers of land' is not supported by the diagram, and the explanation of the meteorological process (e.g., 'turns down cool and moist') is scientifically inaccurate and vague. While the main features are reported, the summary lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the core mechanism of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'In the given image represents' and 'at the last stage'. The transition between the windward and leeward descriptions is functional but lacks sophisticated linking. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the final sentence where the connection between the 'dryness of Inland' and the 'rain-shadow desert' could be more smoothly articulated. Overall, the flow is logical, but the cohesion is not yet flexible or subtle.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'passing from different seven stages' (should be 'consisting of seven stages') and 'turns down cool' (should be 'cools down'). The student relies on simple descriptors and lacks the technical terminology appropriate for a process description (e.g., 'moisture-laden air', 'precipitation', 'arid conditions'). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the errors in collocation occasionally draw attention to the language rather than the information being presented.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'In the given image represents' (incorrect subject-verb structure), 'When air comes the half of the mountain' (missing preposition), and 'it starts raining' (vague subject). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with sentence boundaries and article usage. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the overall accuracy score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures is needed to reach a higher band.

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

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