Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 demonstrates the formation of rain-shadow desert on one side of the mountain. This formation process involves seven stages.

To begin with, the wind approaches from the sea cost and moves towards the upward direction. When the moist air rises and cools, it leads to the formation of clouds on the windward side of the mountain. Furthermore, when the clouds get heavy, it starts raining near the peak of the mountain.

Thereafter, the process on the other side of the mountain begins. The dry air continues over the leeward side of the mountain. Soon, the dry winds reach inland areas leading to the formation of a dry desert called the Rain-Shadow desert.

Thus, we can say that the formation includes the wind to travel thousands of kilometers from the sea cost to to the inland side of the mountain. Maybe, both the windward side and the leeward side are responsible for the composition of the Rain-shadow desert.

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 windward and leeward sides. However, the description is somewhat superficial. It lacks a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole, which is a requirement for Task 1. The explanation of the stages is accurate but could be more detailed, particularly regarding the transition from moist air to precipitation and the subsequent effect on the leeward side. The final paragraph is slightly speculative ('Maybe...') rather than reporting the facts presented in the diagram, which detracts from the objective tone required for academic reports.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from the windward side to the leeward side. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', 'Thereafter', and 'Thus' are used to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though the final paragraph feels somewhat disconnected from the rest of the report. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'precipitation' (implied by 'raining'). There are some spelling errors, such as 'cost' instead of 'coast', and minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'moves towards the upward direction' instead of 'rises' or 'ascends'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the sophistication or precision expected at higher bands. The repetition of 'mountain' and 'side' is noticeable.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'includes the wind to travel' (should be 'includes the wind traveling') and 'to to' (a typo). The phrase 'moves towards the upward direction' is awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over punctuation and sentence structure is generally acceptable, but the lack of variety in complex structures limits the band score.

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

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