Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-28

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 given illustrates the seven steps by which a type of desert Known as the rain-shadow desert is formed in thousands of kilometres.

The first step of the formation of rain-shadow deserts starts when the winds coming from the sea approach the coast, then it get pushed upwards the mountain. Once the winds reach the Windward side of the mountains, the moist air rises and cools, which leads to the formation of clouds.

Once the clouds form and reach the mountain top, the rain falls, and the dry air continues to move down over the mountain, through the Leeward side. Finally, the dry winds reach the inland areas, resulting in the formation of Rain-shadow desert inland.

Overall, the formation of rain-shadow deserts goes through seven stages, starting with the winds coming from the sea coast, then forming clouds that results rain falls, and dry winds in inland areas to forming rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the movement of air from the sea, the windward side, the mountain top, and the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole. While the prompt mentions seven steps, the student's summary does not clearly delineate these, and the final paragraph is repetitive rather than synthesizing the key features effectively. To reach a higher band, the response should provide a more analytical summary of the transformation of air properties (moisture/temperature) rather than just listing the stages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. Cohesive devices such as 'The first step', 'Once', and 'Finally' are used to sequence the information. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions are slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the stages of the process more fluidly. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using subject-specific terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'inland areas'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'in thousands of kilometres' and 'results rain falls', which are grammatically and lexically imprecise. The student relies on basic verbs and connectors. To improve, the student should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe the physical changes occurring during the process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'it get pushed' (subject-verb agreement), 'results rain falls' (incorrect verb structure), and 'to forming' (incorrect prepositional usage). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. The errors do not significantly impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.