Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 different natural processes and mechanisms involved in the formation of a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the process consists of seven sequential stages. Winds from the sea move toward the windward side of the mountain, where clouds are formed and eventually rain falls. On the other side, wind continues to dry and pushed downward towards inland area, where the formation of rain-shadow desert ends.

Initially, winds originates from the sea and pushed towards the Windward side through the coast. Clouds form when moist air rises and becomes cool, leading to the rain fall at the one side of the mountain. As the air reaches the top of the mountain, it lost its moisture.

After this, when the dry air reaches at the other side of the mountain called Leeward side, with the goal of climbing down the mountain. Dry continues reaching down the inland areas(base of the mountain which is thousands of kilometer away from the coast) where the formation of rain-shadow desert is completed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying the key elements such as the windward side, moisture loss, and the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the relationship between the mountain's topography and the resulting climate. While the main features are reported, the explanation of the 'rain-shadow' effect itself could be more precise. The summary is functional but lacks the depth required for a higher band, as some parts of the process are described in a slightly disjointed manner rather than as a cohesive natural cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, moving from an introduction to a summary and then a detailed description. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Initially', 'After this', and 'Overall', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'with the goal of climbing down the mountain', which is an inappropriate personification of air. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences occasionally feels stilted due to grammatical issues, which impacts the overall smoothness of the progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moisture', and 'sequential stages'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'winds originates' (should be 'originate'), 'rain fall' (should be 'rainfall'), and 'Dry continues reaching down' (which is grammatically and lexically unclear). The range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but the lack of precision and some awkward phrasing prevent it from reaching a higher band. More varied and accurate terminology related to meteorological processes would improve the 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 distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('winds originates', 'it lost its moisture'), incorrect preposition usage ('reaches at the other side'), and awkward phrasing ('pushed downward towards inland area'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, the student should focus on basic subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing scientific processes.

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

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