Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30

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 given graphics depicts the process of rain-shadow deserts formation. This process includes three main location : a thousands of kilometers big mountains, coast on the front side of mountains and inland areas on the other side of mountain, where deserts are being formed.

The formation process is divided into the 7 stages. The first 5 stages contributes for rain falls and the rest 2 stages are responsible for forming rain-shadow deserts.

At first, ocean winds reach coast and being pushed upwards. Further more, from the certain height from the land the level of moist air rises and it's temperature cools down. This process is responsible for cloud formation. Next steps includes the main step of the process, a rain falls. Further, dry air continues to fly over the mountains and at last stops reaching the inland area. Due to this dry air, Rain-shadow deserts are being forms in inland areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key locations and the sequence of the process. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the stages, you do not fully explain the causal relationship between the moist air, the cooling process, and the resulting precipitation. The overview is present but lacks detail regarding the specific environmental conditions (e.g., the windward vs. leeward side). To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the physical mechanisms shown in the diagram rather than just listing the stages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'Further more', and 'Next steps', though some of these are used mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., 'Further more' should be 'Furthermore'). The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The transition between the general description of the locations and the specific stages of the process is logical, but the internal cohesion within the third paragraph is slightly disjointed due to grammatical errors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect word forms, such as 'graphics' instead of 'diagram', 'rain falls' instead of 'rainfall', and 'being forms' instead of 'are formed'. You rely on basic descriptors like 'big mountains' and 'main step'. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise scientific terminology related to geography and meteorology, such as 'moisture-laden air', 'condensation', or 'leeward side', and ensure correct word forms are used consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'a thousands of kilometers big mountains' (incorrect article and word order), 'from the certain height' (incorrect article), and 'it's temperature' (confusing 'it's' with 'its'). Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent, as seen in 'The first 5 stages contributes'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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.