Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 gives information about the creation of rain shadow desert which involved different stages. Overall, the process started from wind approaching from the sea surface till it becomes clouds and the dry air touches the inland areas.

It is quite evident from the diagram that the air flowing from the sea level when touches the mountains it turns it to upward. After a certain height due to low temperature the air becomes cools and turn to cloud and resultantly rained at the top of the mountains. Nevertheless, due to this rain the dry air flown to the other side of the mountains and move downwards. Reaching to the surface it turns to rain shadow desert. .

Furthermore, this process from the sea surface wind to desert creations involved thousands of kilometers areas to complete this process.

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 development of the task. While you have identified the main stages of the process, the description is quite brief and lacks the level of detail required for a high band score. You have captured the movement of air from the sea, the cooling process, and the formation of the rain shadow, but the explanation remains superficial. To improve, you should expand on the specific conditions at each stage, such as the role of the mountain height or the contrast between the windward and leeward sides of the mountain, to provide a more comprehensive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into three short paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Nevertheless', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the cooling of the air and the formation of the rain shadow is a bit abrupt. Improving the use of referencing and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would help the flow of the response significantly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range expected for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'creation of rain shadow desert' and 'air flowing from the sea level'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'resultantly rained at the top' and 'desert creations'. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise scientific or descriptive terminology related to weather processes, such as 'moisture-laden air', 'condensation', 'leeward side', or 'precipitation'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you describe the process more accurately.

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 'the creation of rain shadow desert which involved different stages' (missing articles), 'when touches the mountains it turns it to upward' (incorrect verb usage and word order), and 'the dry air flown to the other side' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with a double period at the end of the second paragraph. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and sentence structure will help improve your accuracy.

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

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