Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 how a rain-shadow desert is formed through various process steps.

Overall, there are seven series of steps consisting of numerous stages starting from sea above the coast travelling thousands of kilometres above the mountains to form a rain-shadow desert.

Firstly, winds approach coast travels towards the mountains rise, entering into the second stage called winds pushed upwards after passing above the sea near coast. Clouds are formed when mosit air rises after passing through the windward side and tends to cool down. Moreover, rain falls occur at the top of the mountains after clouds have been formed. Over the mountains, dry air continues and lean towards the leeward side. Inland areas welcoming the dry winds in the last stage of the process, hence tends to form a rain-shadow after winds have been travelled thousands of kilometers. Finally, the rain starts to fall on inland areas making it a desert called rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully identifies the main stages of the process, outlining the sequence from winds approaching the coast, rising over the mountains, and leading to the rain-shadow desert. However, there is a factual error in the conclusion where the student states 'the rain starts to fall on inland areas making it a desert', which directly contradicts the visual data showing that the inland area on the leeward side is dry and forms a rain-shadow desert due to a lack of precipitation. Despite this misinterpretation of the final stage, all key components of the diagram are mentioned, leading to a Band 6.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is arranged with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Finally' are used to structure the progression of steps. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, with the body of the response crammed into a single, dense paragraph. Furthermore, referencing is sometimes unclear, and mechanical links like 'winds approach coast travels towards' disrupt the flow and readability, placing this criterion at Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, incorporating process-related terms like 'winds', 'moisture', 'clouds', and 'desert'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('mosit') and awkward collocations or word choices ('series of steps consisting of numerous stages', 'lean towards'). The attempt to use less common vocabulary results in noticeable inaccuracies that occasionally impede comprehension, reflecting a typical Band 5.5 profile.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several run-on sentences and grammatical errors, such as 'winds approach coast travels towards the mountains rise' and 'inland areas welcoming the dry winds in the last stage of the process, hence tends to form'. Punctuation is also weak, leading to sentences that lack clear clause boundaries. These persistent errors restrict the score to a Band 5.0.

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

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