Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 given diagram illustrates the process for the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the process involves the seven stages. The first step starts with winds approaching from the sea coast, travels across the mountains spread on thousands of kilometers of area and the process ends when dry winds reach the inland areas.

In the first step, the winds approach from the sea coastal area. In the following step, wind is pushed upwards towards the windward side of the mountains. In the third stage, the moist air rises further, increasing the humidity and is cooled. The fourth stage, involves the formation of the multiples dense clouds.

In the fifth step, it starts to rain from the clouds formed. In the next step, after the rain dry air continues over the mountains towards leeward side. In the last step, the dry winds travel further and reach the inland areas where rain shadow deserts are formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process clearly. You have identified the key features, such as the wind movement, the cooling of air, and the resulting rain-shadow effect. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, as it relies heavily on listing the steps (e.g., 'In the first step', 'In the following step'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to integrate these stages more fluidly rather than simply numbering them. Additionally, ensure that you describe the geographical features more precisely, as the prompt asks for a summary of the process, and your overview could be more analytical regarding the causal relationship between the mountain barrier and the desert formation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized, following the chronological order of the diagram. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'In the first step', 'In the following step', and 'In the last step' to guide the reader. While this makes the text easy to follow, the reliance on these repetitive transition phrases makes the cohesion feel somewhat mechanical. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas, such as 'consequently', 'as a result', or 'subsequently', and ensure that the paragraphing is used to group related stages of the process more effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used some relevant vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'humidity', 'leeward side', and 'windward side'. However, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are also minor issues with word choice, such as 'spread on thousands of kilometers of area', which is slightly unnatural. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe the movement of air and the atmospheric changes. For example, instead of 'starts to rain', you could use 'precipitation occurs'. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will help demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the process involves the seven stages' (the article 'the' is unnecessary here) and 'the formation of the multiples dense clouds' (should be 'multiple dense clouds'). Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary comma in 'The fourth stage, involves'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring accuracy will help you achieve a higher band score.

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

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