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 process by which a rain-shadow desert is formed.

On the whole, the process involves the seven stages, beginning with a winds approaching the coast and ending with a dry winds reaching inland areas. The main thing is that how these seven steps covers a thousands of kilometers in few days.

Initially, the wind blows from the sea towards the coast and then pushed upwards to the mountain. As the moist air rises, it cools, and forming a clouds on the mountain a windward side and then in the other step a rain falls on the top of the mountain. Then the air on the peaked point pushes the rain clouds into the leeward side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the student identifies the main process, the description is incomplete and lacks detail regarding the final stages of the desert formation. The overview provided is too brief and does not adequately summarize the key features shown in the diagram. To improve, the student must provide a more comprehensive description of all stages, ensuring that the relationship between the wind, moisture, and the resulting dry conditions on the leeward side is fully explained to meet the length and content requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into a brief introduction and a single body paragraph. While there is a basic attempt at logical progression using transition words like 'Initially' and 'Then', the lack of a clear structure and the brevity of the text make the overall flow feel disjointed. Cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical way, and the paragraphing is insufficient to handle the information presented. To achieve a higher band, the student should group related information into distinct paragraphs and use a wider variety of cohesive devices to link ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'a winds approaching' and 'a clouds'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on simple descriptors rather than precise terminology related to meteorological processes. To improve, the student should focus on using more academic and specific vocabulary, such as 'prevailing winds', 'precipitation', or 'arid conditions', and pay closer attention to article usage (a/an/the) to avoid basic errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding article usage ('a winds', 'a clouds', 'a rain') and subject-verb agreement ('the process involves the seven stages', 'how these seven steps covers'). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors is noticeable. To improve, the student should practice identifying and correcting common errors related to articles and plurals, and work on incorporating more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, to describe the process more effectively.

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

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