Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04

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 diagram illustrate the formation of rain-shadow deserts which is the type of desert.

Overall, this process involves seven stages for the formation of rain-shadow deserts, beginning with the wind approaching coast and ending with the dry winds reaching to the inland areas.

Primary, in the first five stages, wind approached coast to rain falls. However, winds approached the coast and pushed upward after that winds makes moist air which rises up and cool for the formation of clouds in windward side which cause rain drops falls at the top of the mountains.

Moreover, in six to seven stages, rain falls to leeward side and rain drops change into dry air and the air countinues over the mountain. concluding, in the final stage, dry air transformed into dry winds which reached to inland areas. The whole process cover thousand of kilometres distance from sea coast to rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task by describing the formation of rain-shadow deserts. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, relying on a stage-by-stage listing rather than a cohesive summary of the process. While the main features are identified, the explanation of the meteorological phenomena is slightly unclear, particularly the transition between the windward and leeward sides. The summary of the process is accurate, but the lack of analytical depth in explaining the 'why' behind the cooling and drying of the air limits the score. To improve, focus on synthesizing the information into a more fluid narrative that highlights the causal relationships between the mountain barrier and the resulting climate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and occasionally awkward, such as the frequent use of 'in the first five stages' and 'in six to seven stages'. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the concluding sentence feels tacked on rather than integrated into the flow of the argument. While there is a logical sequence, the mechanical nature of the linking words prevents a higher score. Using a wider variety of transition signals and improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'wind approached coast to rain falls' and 'air countinues over the mountain'. The word choice is often repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'wind', 'air', and 'rain'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise scientific terminology relevant to the diagram, such as 'moisture-laden', 'precipitation', 'orographic lift', or 'arid conditions'. Additionally, ensure that word forms are used correctly to avoid errors that slightly impede the clarity of your descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of the writing. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('diagram illustrate'), incorrect verb tenses ('wind approached'), and missing articles or prepositions ('at the top of the mountains'). Some sentences are also poorly constructed, such as 'winds makes moist air which rises up and cool for the formation of clouds'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors is noticeable. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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