Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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 process diagram given illustrates various stages for the formation of a rain shadow dessert.

It explains how the wind from sea approches the coast and travel thousands of kilometres to reach the inland areas as dry wind to form a rain shadow dessert.

First and foremost, the wind blowing over the sea approches the coast that is near the mountains which is then pushed upwards parallel to the mountain. As the wind keeps rising up, it starts to become a moist air which surges and cools down. That cool air when reaches the peak of the mountains turn in to clouds causing the rain on top. The rest of the dry air then continues to move downwards finally reaching the inland area at the most opposite side of the mountain which ultimately results in the formation of a rain shadow dessert, which is actually thousands of kilometers away from the coastal area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response successfully covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process shown in the diagram. You correctly identify the initial movement of wind from the sea over the coast and mountains, the cooling and moisture condensation that leads to precipitation on the peak, and the subsequent dry air descending to form a desert inland. The information is reported accurately, and comparisons or chronological relationships are established well. However, the development is slightly constrained by the brevity of the single body paragraph, which limits the depth of the overview and reporting. While all key parts of the prompt are addressed, a more structured division into introduction, body, and an overview would elevate the task achievement. Therefore, the response aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors for addressing all parts adequately with relevant main features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response maintains a generally coherent overall arrangement, guiding the reader through the stages from the sea to the inland desert. You use sequencing phrases such as "First and foremost" and transitional elements like "As the wind keeps rising up" and "finally reaching." However, the structural organisation is hindered because the entire response—except for the brief opening sentence—is condensed into one massive, block paragraph. This lack of proper paragraphing affects the overall visual and logical progression. Additionally, cohesive devices can occasionally feel mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, but the absence of distinct paragraphs for the introduction, process steps, and conclusion keeps the score at Band 5.5, which balances the logical sequencing against the weak paragraphing structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an understanding of the process with terms like "coastal area," "peak of the mountains," and "moist air." However, there is a recurring spelling error: the word "desert" is consistently misspelled as "dessert" throughout the text ("rain shadow dessert"), which is a notable lexical inaccuracy. Other word choices, such as "approches" (approaches), show minor slips. While you attempt some less common vocabulary related to geographical processes, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive, and the spelling mistakes prevent a higher score. This places the lexical performance firmly at Band 5.0, where noticeable errors exist but do not completely impede overall communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and participial phrases, such as "the wind blowing over the sea approches the coast that is near the mountains which is then pushed upwards." While these complex structures show ambition, they also lead to run-on sentences and grammatical crowding. There are several mechanical and grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ("wind... approches", "turn in to clouds") and spelling/inflection slips. Punctuation is also slightly neglected in the long, continuous sentences. Nevertheless, the meaning remains mostly clear to the reader. This performance corresponds to Band 5.0, characterised by a limited range of structures where attempts at complex sentences often contain errors.

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

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