Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02
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 process how Rain-shadow desert formed. Overall, It is cleared that it involves several stages, when the moisture air moves toward mountain sides forming clouds and became a aource of rainfall and endig with opposite side of mountain making dry land.
At the initial stage, moisture air from the ocean passes by land and moving toward upsides of the mountain. As the air rises the up side of the mountain, it becomes cooler, which cause condensation and lead to formation of clouds. Consequently, precipitation occurs on windward side of the mountain, it receives rainfall. In the next stage, after losing its moisture the air moves toward leeward side of the mountain. Where the air becomes hot & dry, resulting a lack of rainfall in this region. Eventually, a rain-shadow desert is formed on the leeward side of the mountain due to dry condition. Due to this reason, that area also faced shortage of water.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the process, from the initial moisture-laden air to the formation of the rain-shadow desert. However, the summary is somewhat basic. While the key features are identified, the description lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides. The overview provided in the introduction is a bit fragmented, and the explanation of the process could be more clearly linked to the visual evidence provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the cooling air, condensation, and the resulting precipitation is described with greater precision and logical flow.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized into an introduction and a body paragraph. The progression of ideas follows the sequence of the diagram. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In the next stage', 'Consequently', 'Eventually'). There are also some issues with sentence structure that affect flow, such as the fragmented opening sentence: 'The diagram illustrates the process how Rain-shadow desert formed.' Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences are grammatically complete would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'moisture', 'condensation', 'precipitation', 'windward', and 'leeward' used correctly. However, there are several word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'moisture air' instead of 'moist air', 'upsides' instead of 'upward slopes', and 'aource' (spelling error). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Focusing on accurate collocations and avoiding basic spelling mistakes will help improve this score.
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 reader. Examples include: 'process how Rain-shadow desert formed' (missing 'is'), 'moisture air' (incorrect adjective form), 'a aource' (repetition), and 'resulting a lack' (missing preposition 'in'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of '&' in a formal academic context. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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