Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12
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 displays the formation of a rain-shadow desert.
Overall, it is clear that the given process is natural and cycling in nature. The process begins with winds approach to the coast and ends wth dry winds reach towards inland areas . Thre are total of seven stages which mainly include cooling of moist air, coulds formation, rain fall.
To begin with, winds from sea approach to the coast and collied with mountains which are thousands of kilometers long. Then, winds are being pushed upwards through collasion with mountains. Winds go towards upward and cool down its temperature.
The process of cloud fromation is started from windward side and gradually it become rain fall clouds and then rain fall start on the mountains. After that, dry air travels over mountains and goes downward through leeward side.In the final stage, the dry winds are started to move towards inland areas which are also called as rain- shadow desert.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the diagram showing the formation of a rain-shadow desert, covering the main stages from moist winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. However, the overview is extremely brief and slightly inaccurate in stating the process is 'cycling in nature', when the diagram depicts a linear geographical process. Furthermore, key features such as the specific altitudes, the rain shadow area definition, and clear comparisons between the windward and leeward sides are under-developed. While all parts of the task are touched upon, the lack of detail and minor misinterpretations place this response at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The text is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by the initial stages, and concluding with the final stages of the process. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Then', 'After that', and 'In the final stage', which help guide the reader through the sequence. However, referencing is sometimes imprecise, and logical progression is occasionally hindered by abrupt transitions and mechanical cohesive device usage. Paragraphing is present and generally appropriate, but the overall organization lacks sophisticated flow, supporting a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, featuring domain-specific terms such as 'winds', 'coast', 'moisture', 'mountains', 'clouds', 'rain', and 'inland areas'. However, there are numerous noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, including 'cycling' instead of cyclic, 'approach to' instead of approaching, 'wth' for with, 'Thre' for There, 'collied' for collide, 'collasion' for collision, 'coulds' for clouds, and 'rain fall' for rainfall. These errors detract from the quality of the response, although the core message remains understandable, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures like 'The process begins with winds approach to the coast and ends wth dry winds reach towards inland areas.' Unfortunately, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors in verb tenses, voice, and prepositions, such as 'winds are being pushed', 'cool down its temperature', 'cloud fromation is started', and 'dry winds are started to move'. These recurring inaccuracies can cause some difficulty for the reader, which aligns the response closely with the Band 5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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