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 diagram illustrates the information that how a rain-shadow desert is formed from the sea.

Overall, it seems that the formation is done in seven stages from winds approaching coast to dry winds reaches to inland area. This formation goes between thousands of kilometres which covers areas like sea, mountain and inland.

At the very first stage, the winds are approach form the sea coast and next these winds are pushed in the upward direction as Windward side towards the mountains. At the third step, as the temperature are low which cools the air by reaching to some mid height of the mountain the air got converted to Moist air and the various clouds are formed, this cloud reaches to the peak height. On the fifth stage, the rain falls on the mountain and due to the low temperature at the top the dry air is pushed continuously over mountain in the Leeward side and at the last stage these dry air reaches to the land area to inland. In the result, the Rain-shadow desert is formed on the desert areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow effect. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the stages are listed, the relationship between the moisture, the mountain barrier, and the resulting desert could be explained with more precision. The summary of the process is accurate, but it relies heavily on a chronological list rather than a synthesis of the information. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview highlights the core mechanism—the loss of moisture on the windward side—rather than just counting the stages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized logically, following the sequence of the diagram. Paragraphing is used, though the structure is quite basic. Cohesive devices are present (e.g., 'At the very first stage', 'At the third step', 'In the result'), but they are somewhat repetitive and mechanical. The flow between sentences is generally clear, but the transition between the description of the mountain and the formation of the desert could be smoother. The referencing is mostly clear, though some phrasing, such as 'In the result', is slightly unnatural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using subject-specific terms like 'windward', 'leeward', and 'moist air'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and phrasing, such as 'the formation is done in seven stages' and 'winds are approach form the sea coast'. These errors occasionally distract the reader. The range of vocabulary is limited to the basic requirements of the task, and there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise terminology to describe the meteorological process effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'how a rain-shadow desert is formed from the sea' (unnecessary 'from the sea'), 'winds are approach' (incorrect verb form), and 'these dry air reaches' (subject-verb agreement error). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. The control of punctuation and sentence structure is inconsistent, which limits the clarity of the explanation.

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

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