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 pictorial graph illustrates the process of formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, it demonstrates the all stages that involved in the creation of rain-shadow deserts as it starts by the winds that approaches on the coastal areas that becomes the cause of rain fall in the top of the mountains and end this process when rain-shadow desert established by the dry winds.

First of all, the winds from surroundings reached at the coastal areas and pushed upwards side of the mountains. It increases the humidity in the air and moisture of air cools that ultimately forms clouds on the windward side of the hills. The clouds causes rain falls on the top of mountains.

After that, the dry air constantly blows over the hilly areas at the leeward side. Then, the dry winds reach in the inland areas of the mountains by covering thousands of kilometres from coastal sides to inland areas and composes rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, identifying the wind movement, moisture cooling, precipitation, and the resulting dry air on the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks precision in reporting the specific features shown in the diagram. For instance, the distinction between the 'windward' and 'leeward' sides is mentioned, but the explanation of the process is slightly repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the causal relationship between the mountain height and the desert formation. While all parts of the task are addressed, the development of the ideas could be more detailed and better integrated to provide a more comprehensive summary of the visual information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, moving from an introduction to the process stages. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'After that', and 'Then' are used to guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'it starts by the winds that approaches', which makes the progression feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the connection between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall readability. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction from the body of the process description.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the process using terms like 'coastal areas', 'humidity', 'moisture', and 'leeward side'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'pictorial graph' (a diagram is more accurate), 'pushed upwards side', and 'composes rain-shadow deserts'. These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the range and precision of the language. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more natural collocations and precise scientific terminology relevant to geographical processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the all stages that involved', 'winds that approaches', and 'the clouds causes rain falls'. These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the process. The student attempts complex structures, but the control over these is inconsistent. Improving accuracy in basic grammar and refining the use of relative clauses would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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.