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 chart presents how rain-shadow desert is developed and created.

Overall, there are several stages of its formation beginning from the step where winds reach the sea, ending up on the stage where dry winds approach inland places.

The procedure of rain-shadow desert formation initiates by the wind approaching the sea, followed by them being pushed upwards. Subsequently, the moist wind rises and cools, passing by the Windward side of the mountain, and then clouds are formed.

Then, the clouds rain. The dry air continues over mountain, passing by the Leeward side, the dry winds finally reach inland areas. This whole process involves thousands of kilometres; starting from its beginning stage to reaching to its final stage.

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. While the student identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation, the description is overly simplistic and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the process. The summary is brief and fails to highlight key comparisons or specific features of the diagram, such as the elevation changes or the contrast between the windward and leeward sides. To improve, the student needs to expand on the provided information, ensuring all parts of the prompt are addressed with sufficient depth and detail to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into short paragraphs, which helps with the overall structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices like 'Subsequently' and 'Then' is functional but repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'passing by the Windward side of the mountain', where the subject of the action is slightly ambiguous. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more varied linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother and more natural, rather than relying on a simple chronological list of steps.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. The student uses terms like 'developed', 'created', and 'procedure', which are acceptable but lack the precision required for a scientific description. There is little attempt to use less common or topic-specific vocabulary related to meteorology or geography. For example, instead of 'dry winds', more precise terminology like 'arid air masses' or 'precipitation-depleted air' would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. The student should focus on incorporating more academic and subject-specific vocabulary to enhance the quality of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are noticeable errors in grammar and article usage. For instance, 'rain-shadow desert is developed' should be 'a rain-shadow desert is developed', and 'ending up on the stage' is slightly unnatural. There are also issues with preposition usage, such as 'reaching to its final stage'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall fluency. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and refining complex sentence structures to ensure greater accuracy.

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

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