Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05

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)

This schemetic diagram represents the process of the fomation of rain shadow deserts, it also shows multiple stages from wind approach to inland rain shadow desert,

Overall, it consists of total 7 to 8 stages and the whole process is occured in thousands of kilometers. The wind approach to the coast it hits the mountain , the area where wind moves up is called as windward side, and when it moved to the top then flows down, that area is knows as leeward side.

Firstly the wind on surface of sea moved to the coast of sea to the mountain, after this it strikes with mountain which pushed the air upwards, then with increasing height the air cools and water droplets were formed, after that the moist air converted into the clouds.

Additionally, at 5 stage the clouds were sheds in the form of rain on the top of mountain. After raining the rain flows from top to the leeward area due to the low the low atmosphere pressure the water is moving downwards. In seven stage because of dry winds the water is infiltrate and reached to the ground in inland area. At end the rain shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying key features such as the windward and leeward sides. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and relies heavily on listing stages (e.g., 'at 5 stage', 'in seven stage') rather than providing a cohesive summary of the scientific process. While the main features are reported, the explanation of the meteorological phenomena is slightly inaccurate or confusing, particularly the mention of 'low atmosphere pressure' causing water to move downwards. To reach a higher band, the response should focus more on the logical flow of the process rather than just numbering the steps shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'after this', 'after that', and 'then'. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between the windward and leeward sides is not fully developed. While there is an overall logical arrangement, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the somewhat disjointed sentence structure limit the flow of the information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. There are several spelling errors, such as 'schemetic' instead of 'schematic' and 'fomation' instead of 'formation'. Additionally, some word choices are awkward or imprecise, such as 'clouds were sheds' instead of 'clouds shed rain' or 'water is infiltrate'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic terms, and there is little attempt to use more academic or technical language appropriate for describing a scientific process. Improving accuracy and expanding the range of descriptive verbs would significantly enhance this 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 impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the whole process is occured'), incorrect verb tenses ('water droplets were formed'), and awkward phrasing ('the area where wind moves up is called as windward side'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with comma splices present in the opening sentence. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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