Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-26

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 process of how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, the process includes various steps initially the winds from the coastal area of the sea reaching the inland area across the mountain.

Firstly, the winds approach coast of the sea and pushes upwards to the mountains where the moist of the air rises and cools the winds coming from the sea. Clouds were formed after the moist of the air rises which then resulted in rain falls on top of the mountains.

Although the rain falls but winds continued their journey towards the top. After reaching the top side dry air continues over mountain towards the leeward side. After a while dry winds reach inland areas resulting in the formation of rain-shadow. The image shows this complete process in which winds goes through several steps from coastal area of the sea and reaching inland resulting in the formation of the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, from the moist air rising over the mountain to the formation of the rain-shadow desert. However, the description is somewhat basic and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main features are identified, the explanation of the meteorological process is slightly repetitive and lacks precision in describing the transition between the windward and leeward sides. To improve, ensure that the overview clearly synthesizes the relationship between the moisture loss and the resulting arid conditions on the leeward side, rather than just listing the steps sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the coastal winds to the inland desert. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Although', and 'After reaching' are used to link sentences. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Although the rain falls but winds continued their journey'. The flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied transition markers to better connect the cause-and-effect relationships inherent in the process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'moist of the air' (should be 'moisture') and 'rain falls on top' (should be 'precipitation' or 'rainfall'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic terms like 'process', 'steps', and 'winds'. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more specific scientific terminology related to geography and climate, such as 'prevailing winds', 'condensation', 'leeward', and 'arid conditions'.

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 hinder clarity. For example, 'the moist of the air rises and cools the winds' is grammatically incorrect, and 'winds goes through' shows a subject-verb agreement error. There are also issues with article usage, such as 'approach coast of the sea'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of nouns versus adjectives will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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