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 illustrates the formation process of a type of desert called as rain-shadow desert from winds approaching the sea to dry winds reaching inland areas.

Overall, the process consists of seven steps of changes in the environment that forms rain-shadow desert, main components of these steps are wind, air, clouds, rain, mountains.

The procedure involves wind approaching the coast of sea where wind is pushed upwards on a mountain. Furthermore, the mountain covers an area of thousands of kilometer and as wind is pushed up, it becomes moist which causes it to rise and cool down. The cooling of the air helps it to convert into cloud form.

As clouds are formed, they move towards windward side and in step five rain falls down from the clouds. In addition to it, dry air continue over the mountain on the leeward side which moves down the mountain. Eventually, dry wind reaches the inland areas that form the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, including the movement of air, the formation of clouds, and the resulting rain-shadow effect. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks precision in reporting the specific stages shown in the visual. For instance, the student mentions 'seven steps' but does not clearly label or sequence them in a way that guides the reader through the process effectively. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the windward and leeward sides could be more explicitly developed to highlight the contrast in environmental conditions. The overview is present but could be more concise and integrated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In addition to it', and 'Eventually' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could benefit from more varied cohesive links to improve the overall flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'approaching', 'moist', 'leeward', and 'inland areas' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'convert into cloud form' or 'process of seven steps of changes'. The student relies on basic descriptors and could benefit from using more precise scientific or descriptive terminology to enhance the quality of the report. There are no significant spelling errors, but the lexical choices do not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'called as rain-shadow desert' (should be 'called a rain-shadow desert'), 'thousands of kilometer' (should be 'kilometers'), and 'dry air continue' (should be 'continues'). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. The control over articles and pluralization is inconsistent. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the accurate use of articles, while also attempting a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater precision.

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

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