Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27

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 indicates a flow chart of how one type of desert is formed as a rain-shadow desert. The process involved in seven steps how a wind approach to sea for rain formation and after converts to a dry winds.

This Mountains used to be in thousands of kilometers and consists of two sides, such as: Windward side and Leeward side. According to steps involved in formation of rain-shadow desert, Firstly, Winds approaches coast or sea, Later this winds are pushed upwards as a second step. In third level the winds are formed as moist air and cools the temperature, However after reaching Windward side this moist air formed as clouds in next process. Then in the fifth step, Water droplets are formed in clouds and rain falls .

After at the Leeward side this clouds passes Dry air continues over mountain in sixth step. After air passed to downwards and convert to dry winds as well as reaches to inland areas of Rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying the windward and leeward sides. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, relying on a step-by-step listing rather than a cohesive summary of the process. While the key features are present, the explanation of the physical phenomena (such as the cooling of air and the rain-shadow effect) is slightly underdeveloped and lacks precision. The overview is also quite weak, as it does not clearly synthesize the overall transformation from moist sea air to dry inland air. To improve, focus on grouping related stages and explaining the causal relationship between the mountain barrier and the resulting climate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For example, the transition 'In third level' and 'In the fifth step' feels repetitive and forced. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'After at the Leeward side this clouds passes', where the grammatical structure makes the flow of information confusing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to previous nouns would significantly enhance the logical flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'This Mountains used to be in thousands of kilometers' and 'winds are formed as moist air'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the scientific process being described. To achieve a higher score, you should focus on using more accurate terminology related to geography and meteorology, such as 'moisture-laden air', 'precipitation', or 'arid conditions', and ensure that collocations are natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('Winds approaches', 'this clouds passes'), incorrect article usage ('a wind approach to sea'), and awkward sentence construction ('The process involved in seven steps how a wind approach...'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the text from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence structure and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a great starting point for improvement.

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