Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-10

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 various stages involved in the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the formation of rain-shadow dessert involves seven stages beginning with winds approaching the coast, and ending with dry winds reaching inland areas, where a rain-shadow desert is formed. The process starts at seaside and ends at inland areas, thousands of kilometers away.

The process begins when the wind approaches the coast. This is followed by pushing winds upward along the windward side of the mountains. Subsequently, as moist air rises and cools clouds are formed. The formation of clouds leads to rain which fall over the mountains.

On the leeward side of the mountains, dry air continues over the mountain and finally reaches inland areas which results into the formation of rain-shadow desert.

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 main features of the diagram are identified, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the explanation of the process. The summary of the stages is accurate, but the lack of length prevents a thorough reporting of the information provided in the diagram. To improve, you should expand on the descriptions of each stage, perhaps by adding more detail about the atmospheric conditions or the specific characteristics of the terrain mentioned in the visual prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a brief overview, and a sequential description of the process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the stages. Cohesive devices such as 'The process begins', 'This is followed by', and 'Subsequently' are used effectively to guide the reader through the stages. However, because the text is quite short, the overall flow feels somewhat abrupt. To reach a higher band, ensure that your transitions between sentences are more varied and that you provide more depth to the progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the task, with terms like 'moist air', 'windward side', and 'leeward side' demonstrating a good understanding of the subject matter. However, there are some minor errors, such as the misspelling of 'desert' as 'dessert' in the second paragraph. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited due to the brevity of the response. To improve, try to incorporate more precise descriptive language and ensure careful proofreading to avoid simple spelling mistakes that detract from your professional tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Subsequently, as moist air rises and cools clouds are formed.' There are some grammatical inaccuracies, for example, 'rain which fall' should be 'rain which falls' (subject-verb agreement) and 'results into' is better phrased as 'results in'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful attention to verb forms and prepositional usage. Increasing the variety of complex structures would help demonstrate a higher level of grammatical control.

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

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