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 picture demonstrates how one type of desert, known as a rain shadow desert is formed into three stages from Sea to Rain shadow desert by travelling thousands of kilometres.

Overall, in this cycle winds approach from coast which makes the rain falls into the land by completing its cycling directly in the rain shadow desert through the mountain.

At the first stage, winds approach coast from the sea to pushed upwards the winds to moist air rises and cools to form clouds which leads to rain falls from the windward side. At the second stage, rain falls in leeward side to dry air continues over mountain which comes in the land through the process of dry winds to reach inland areas. At the last stage, the distance between sea coast and rain shadow desert is thousands of kilometres which completes three cycle to reach inland through the mountain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the response attempts to describe the process, the explanation of the stages is confusing and lacks clarity. The description of the wind movement and the formation of rain is inaccurate and difficult to follow, failing to clearly explain the 'rain-shadow' phenomenon as depicted in the diagram. Key features, such as the distinction between the windward and leeward sides of the mountain, are mentioned but not explained in a way that demonstrates a clear understanding of the process. The summary is underdeveloped and lacks the necessary detail to fully address the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'At the first stage' and 'At the second stage', which do not effectively link the complex scientific process being described. The transition between the sea, the mountain, and the desert is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the sequence of events. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall flow of the text is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of clear logical connections between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'winds', 'sea', and 'mountain'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'formed into three stages' and 'completing its cycling'. The student struggles to use precise terminology related to geography or meteorology, which is expected for this type of task. While the meaning is generally discernible, the lack of a wider range of vocabulary and the presence of errors in word choice prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'makes the rain falls'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence structures (e.g., 'to pushed upwards the winds to moist air rises'). The range of grammatical structures is limited, with a reliance on simple sentences that are often poorly constructed. Punctuation is also inconsistent. While the student attempts to use complex structures, these are frequently faulty, leading to a lack of clarity in the explanation of the process.

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

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