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 illustration displays how the desert that is known as a rain-shadow desert is produced.

Overall,the picture distributes into two parts.First part starts from the sea as the wind reaches coast with the way of windward side of mountain upto the peak of mountain where the rain starts falling.The second part continues throughout the leeward side till inland areas where the formation of rain-shadow desert occurs.

Initially,from the sea level the wind approches coast from where the wind is pushed uphill and the moist air rises and cools that results in forming of clouds due to which rain falls.

Secondly,the dry air continues over mountain downward in the leeward side causes the wind to reach inland areas.The whole process under takes 1000 of kilometers to complete from sea to inland areas.This is the presentation of Rain-shadow desert formation that turns the moist air and rain fall to dry wind and desert formation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the two distinct stages of the rain-shadow effect: the windward side (moist air rising and precipitation) and the leeward side (dry air descending). However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, professional overview of the process. While the key stages are mentioned, the explanation of the physical mechanisms—such as the cooling of air and the resulting rain—could be more precise. The summary is functional but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band score, as it reads more like a basic description than a cohesive report of a scientific process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the sea to the inland areas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'First part', 'Second part', 'Initially', 'Secondly'). Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and spacing, such as missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'Overall,the', 'Initially,from'), which disrupts the flow of the text. While the logical sequence is present, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the inconsistent punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher level of coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. The student uses simple terms like 'produced', 'picture', and 'starts falling'. There is an attempt to use technical terms such as 'windward', 'leeward', and 'moist air', which is positive. However, the phrasing is often awkward, such as 'distributes into two parts' or 'the whole process under takes 1000 of kilometers'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and there are instances of word-choice errors that slightly hinder the professional tone expected in an Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as 'the wind reaches coast with the way of windward side' and 'the dry air continues over mountain downward in the leeward side causes the wind to reach'. There are also frequent issues with articles (e.g., 'reaches coast', 'to peak of mountain') and verb forms. Punctuation is a significant weakness, with missing spaces after commas throughout the text. These errors are frequent enough to cause some difficulty for the reader.

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

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