Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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)

This picture illustrates the production of rain-shadow of barren land. There are 7 stages in the diagram, from winds reaching coast to dry winds reaching inland area.

Overall, The formation of rain-shadow desert is a 7 stage process that begins with the winds come closer to seashore, winds go upward and ends with the dry winds approach inner land of the sea, between these is the moist air, clouds and rain.

The first step is, The winds move towards the costline from the sea, then winds pushed towards the mountains, after that, moist air rises and cools moving in the direction of wind ward side, there form clouds.

On the other hand, Rain fall starts which goes down from peak of the mountain to the leeward side in the form of dry air. Furthermore, this air continues over mountains and reaches to inland. At the end , of this process rain-shadow is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation, from the winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. The overview clearly identifies the process as a seven-stage progression involving moisture, clouds, and precipitation. Key features such as the windward and leeward sides, rising moist air, rainfall, and the ultimate creation of the rain-shadow desert are reported accurately. However, the explanation is slightly muddled in places, particularly when describing how the rain falls and transitions into dry air, but overall, the task is adequately addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is coherent overall, with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and is divided into logical paragraphs separating the introductory overview from the body details. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the stages, such as 'The first step is', 'after that', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore'. However, some of the linking is mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'On the other hand, Rain fall starts which goes down from peak', which misapplies contrastive cohesion. Referencing and progression are generally clear, but paragraphing could be slightly more refined to separate distinct geographical phases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting process-specific terms such as 'coastline', 'moist air', 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'rain-shadow'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'production of rain-shadow of barren land', 'winds come closer to seashore', and 'inner land of the sea'. Spelling errors also occur, such as 'costline' instead of coastline and 'wind ward' instead of windward. These inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'moist air rises and cools moving in the direction of wind ward side'). There are several grammatical errors and punctuation awkwardnesses throughout, such as comma splices and misplaced commas ('At the end , of this process rain-shadow is formed'). Run-on sentences and imprecise verb forms also detract from the overall accuracy. Nevertheless, the meaning remains mostly clear and communication is not severely impeded.

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

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