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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert with various major steps are involved.
Overall, there are main seven steps involved for the formation of rain shadow desert, starting with the sea where the winds are approaching to the coast and move in the windward side and leeward side and then finally reaches to the inland where the rain-shadow desert is formed.
Initially, in the very first step winds approaching to the coastal area and forced to upwards direction. As the moist air ascends, it gradually becomes cooler and goes to the windward side. Eventually these clouds become saturated with the moisture, resulting in the rain fall on the windward side.
Moreover, after rain formation, dry air will continue moving over the mountain in the leeward direction and finally reaches to the inland areas where the rain-shadow is formed. and this rain-shadow desert formed up to thousands of kilometers in the inland area
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 rain-shadow desert formation, identifying the progression from the sea to the inland area. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the windward and leeward sides, the explanation of the physical processes (such as the cooling of air and the resulting precipitation) is slightly repetitive and lacks the precision required for a higher band. The overview is functional but could be more analytical by highlighting the contrast between the moist windward side and the arid leeward side more effectively. The response addresses the prompt, but the development of the key features is limited.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Moreover', and 'Eventually' to signal the progression of steps. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'there are main seven steps involved for the formation of rain shadow desert', which is slightly clunky. Additionally, the final sentence is a fragment that lacks a clear connection to the previous clause. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical rather than fluid.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the process clearly. You use relevant terms like 'moist air', 'saturated', 'windward', and 'leeward'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'forced to upwards direction' (should be 'forced upwards') and 'rain fall' (should be 'rainfall'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. There is also some repetition of basic verbs like 'move' and 'reaches'.
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. For example, 'The diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert with various major steps are involved' contains a redundant verb structure. Other issues include missing articles ('the' rain-shadow desert) and incorrect preposition usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with correct syntax.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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