Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23

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 diagram showed different steps of formation of rain shadow desert from sea apart from thousands of kilometres. It has various points which took place over the mountains by taking air from sea to clouds and then rain fall begins.

Overall, winds started to blow from the sea and moved upward toward the windward side of the mountains and form precipitation which caused to rainfall. After that dry air continues over mountain at leeward side and reach upto inland areas eventually formed rain shadow desert.

However, wind approach the coastline of the sea, pushed upward the mountains and reach the windward side of the mountains where the air mixed with water and condensation occurs which caused the air form clouds. Precipitation occur at the top of the mountains and rain started. Then dry air continues to blow at the mountains and these air molecules reach the leeward side of the mountains.

At leeward side, dry winds blow and eventually reach at the bottom of the mountains at inland areas. Dry air molecules traps into the land beds and rain shadow desert formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student attempts to describe the formation of a rain-shadow desert, covering the main stages from the sea, across the mountains, to the inland area. However, there are notable limitations in task completion. The opening sentence misinterprets the visual data by stating 'This diagram showed different steps of formation of rain shadow desert from sea apart from thousands of kilometres', which confuses the scale label. Furthermore, the response is repetitive, recounting the same sequence multiple times across different paragraphs rather than systematically progressing through the stages. While the overview outlines the general process, the overall development of ideas lacks precision and contains inaccuracies regarding how the process unfolds. Consequently, the response achieves a Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text is structured into four paragraphs, including an introduction and an overall summary, which provides a basic framework. However, progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and redundant explanation of the same stages in subsequent paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, but their application is often repetitive or mechanical (e.g., 'After that', 'However', 'Then'). Paragraphing is attempted, but because the third and fourth paragraphs essentially re-hash the same geographical points mentioned earlier without advancing new information, the overall flow lacks clear logical development. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as shifting abruptly between paragraphs without smooth transitions. This performance aligns with the Band 5.5 descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing topic-specific terms such as 'condensation', 'precipitation', 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'inland areas'. However, there are frequent word choice errors, awkward collocations, and grammatical form issues, such as 'rain fall begins', 'caused to rainfall', and 'air molecules traps into the land beds'. Less common items are attempted, but control is inconsistent, leading to noticeable inaccuracies that occasionally require the reader to interpret the intended meaning. Spelling is generally acceptable, but lexical flexibility is limited. This corresponds to a Band 5.5 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and participial phrases. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors in tense usage (e.g., 'This diagram showed' instead of 'shows'), subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'wind approach', 'these air molecules reach'), and missing articles or prepositions. For instance, sentences like 'Precipitation occur at the top of the mountains and rain started' exhibit tense shifts and agreement errors. While meaning is generally retrievable, errors are frequent enough to restrict the writer to Band 5.0, as error-free sentences are in the minority and control over complex structures remains unreliable.

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

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