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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain shadow desert by explaining the whole cycle.

Overall, wind plays a significant role in the formation of desert. The cycle comprise on seven steps and each step explains how formation occurs.

The mountains are located on hight above the sea level near the sea. When sea wind approach the coast, the pressure applied by sea helps to push upwards. The third stage depicts that the air become mosit and cool when it strikes windward side. After that clouds are formed in next stage and then rain falls. First five stages show the formation of cloud and how rain fall above the sea level.

In the six step after rain falls, dry air continues to blow over mountain. By crossing the leeward side of mountains dry and hot wind reach at the ground level. Moreover to this dry wind in the inland area and after whole process the water drops fall and their impurities still remained on the ground. This is cyclical process which mainly consist of wind.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow effect. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the windward and leeward sides, the explanation of the process lacks technical precision. For instance, stating 'the pressure applied by sea helps to push upwards' is vague and does not accurately describe the orographic lift process. Additionally, the final sentence regarding 'impurities' is not supported by the provided diagram, indicating a slight misinterpretation of the visual data. To improve, focus on describing the physical changes (temperature and moisture) more accurately as depicted in the graphic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'Moreover to this' are non-standard, and the transition between the windward and leeward descriptions is abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'This is cyclical process which mainly consist of wind', where the connection to the preceding information is weak. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used in the correct context would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'hight' (a spelling error for 'height') and 'moist' instead of more academic terms like 'saturated' or 'precipitate'. There are also issues with word formation and collocation, such as 'cycle comprise on' (should be 'consists of') and 'water drops fall'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more topic-specific terminology related to meteorology and geography, and pay closer attention to standard English collocations.

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 clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('air become', 'cycle comprise'), missing articles ('on hight', 'on the ground'), and incorrect preposition usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, these persistent errors prevent the text from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that articles are used correctly with nouns.

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

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