Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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 map illustrates how a mountain range leaves moist air on one side by leaving the other side dry.

Overall, wind collects water from the sea and it pushed upward on the top where it converts into rain which automatically makes a air dry before reaching the inland areas.

For the formation of rain shadow deserts, on the one side of the mountain range sea is located where wind approaches its coast and gathers some water then from the coast wind tends to move upward as the wind move toward the high altitude moisture in the air began to rise and its temperature decreases which converts water into clouds after reaching on the top due to low temperature it starts to rain , leaving air completely dry as wind continues to move on the leeward side wind is completely dry and approaches the inland areas without any moisture which makes rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the diagram, successfully explaining how rain-shadow deserts are formed from the initial approach of moist winds to the dry conditions on the leeward side. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, capturing the essence of the process. However, some key spatial features and labels from the diagram, such as the windward and leeward sides, are only briefly mentioned or woven into a dense, single-sentence third paragraph without clear separation. To achieve a higher band, the response would benefit from more precise reporting of the sequence and a more distinct structural overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into an introduction, a brief overview, and a very long, single-paragraph body. This lack of appropriate paragraphing severely impacts the clarity and logical progression of ideas. There are almost no cohesive devices used to guide the reader through the distinct sequential steps of the diagram, resulting in run-on sentences such as '...after reaching on the top due to low temperature it starts to rain , leaving air completely dry as wind continues to move on the leeward side wind is completely dry...'. Referencing and logical sequencing need much clearer separation into distinct steps.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate to describe the physical process, featuring appropriate terms such as 'moisture', 'altitude', 'temperature', and 'leeward side'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic phrasing. There are also noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'makes a air dry' instead of 'makes the air dry' or 'dries the air'. Less common lexical items are attempted but lack precision and natural control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts some complex sentence structures through the use of dependent clauses (e.g., 'as the wind move toward the high altitude...'). However, the control of grammar and punctuation is weak. The writing contains major run-on sentences connected by comma splices or missing punctuation entirely, such as the lengthy third paragraph which reads as one continuous, breathless sentence. Errors in articles ('a air dry') and subject-verb agreement ('wind collect', 'wind is pushed') are noticeable and occasionally impede readability.

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

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