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)

Presented for the consideration is a diagram which illustrates information pertaining to how rain-shadow deserts are made.

Overall, the stage-7 process commences with coasts are approached by heavy winds and ends with the reaching of it to inland areas.

To start with, the heavy air winds is reached to sea coast. Then, the winds are pushed to upward direction, above the ground. Admittedely, moist air is risen and cooled down, that evaporates to form clouds at the windward side. In the next step, the rain fall occurs and drops are fallen to the ground.

In the following stage, dry air continues to rise over the hill side region, which is through the Leeward side. Nextly, the dried winds are reached to the inland, which beautifully forms the rain- shadow desert. In this way, the formation of desert is completed via various known steps, albeit it takes thousands of kilometres to reach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow effect from the windward side to the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat superficial. The student identifies the stages but fails to clearly explain the causal relationship between the cooling air, condensation, and the resulting precipitation. The overview is present but lacks clarity, as the phrasing 'stage-7 process' is confusing and not clearly supported by the visual evidence. To reach a higher band, the response should focus on a more precise description of the physical processes (e.g., condensation, orographic lift) rather than just listing steps.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression from the coast to the inland desert. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or awkward. Phrases like 'To start with', 'In the next step', and 'Nextly' are used repetitively and sometimes incorrectly. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'reaching of it to inland areas', where the antecedent is ambiguous. While the overall structure is coherent enough to follow, the lack of sophisticated linking and the reliance on simple transition words limit the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'Presented for the consideration is', 'heavy air winds', and 'beautifully forms'. The student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'windward' and 'leeward', which is positive, but these are surrounded by imprecise phrasing. There is also a tendency to use non-standard collocations, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but lacks the flexibility required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. There are issues with passive voice construction ('winds is reached', 'drops are fallen'), incorrect verb tenses, and awkward sentence structures. The use of articles is inconsistent, and there are errors in word order and preposition usage. While the student attempts complex sentences, they are often marred by errors, such as 'that evaporates to form clouds', which is grammatically disjointed. The control of grammar is inconsistent, and the frequency of errors is high for a band 6 or above.

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

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