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)

The process chart illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, the process chart involves seven main stage. Starting with windward approach and ending with dry wind reach inland areas. If any step is missing the process chart cannot be complete.

The

Firstly, winds come from sea and go up the Mountains. As the air rises, it cools and make clouds on the windward side. After that, they reach stage five, as the air go down.

After losing much of its moisture, the air

continues over the mountain towards the

leeward side. During this stage, the air becomes

increasingly dry. Finally, these dry wind move

towards the lowland areas, where very little rainfall

occurs. As it is a rain-shadow desert is formed

on the leeward side of the mountain.

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 stages of the rain-shadow desert formation, the description is underdeveloped. The overview is somewhat mechanical, and the explanation of the process lacks the necessary detail to fully convey the scientific mechanism shown in the diagram. Because the response is under-length and lacks sufficient detail to provide a comprehensive summary, it does not fully address all parts of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic (e.g., 'Firstly', 'After that', 'Finally'). There are also issues with sentence structure and flow, particularly in the introduction where the sentence 'If any step is missing the process chart cannot be complete' is irrelevant to the task. The logical progression is present but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. The student uses basic terms like 'go up', 'go down', and 'make clouds'. There is little attempt to use more academic or precise terminology related to geography or meteorology, such as 'ascend', 'descend', 'condensation', or 'precipitation'. Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'dry wind reach inland areas'. To improve, the student should focus on using more specific vocabulary to describe natural processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that affect clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'air go down' instead of 'air goes down' and 'dry wind move' instead of 'dry winds move'. Additionally, there are errors in article usage and sentence construction, such as 'As it is a rain-shadow desert is formed'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The range of structures is limited to simple and compound sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.