Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-28

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 given diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert through the series of stages involved.

Overall, the process begins as the moist air pushed upward and cools as it rises and eventually form clouds and start raining on the windward side of the mountian. After crossing mountain, air becomes dry and decends opposit side of mountain and form desert condition.

In the begining of the process, moist air moves towards mountain and force to push upward and as it rises the higher altitude it cools and form clouds. when moisture is accumulated, falls rain on windward side of the mountain.

In the next stage, the dry air passes through opposite side of the mountain and decends lower at the leeward side of the mountain and reaches the lower side of inland area and finally leads to formation of the rain-shadow desert as dry air decends and become warmer from opposite side of the mountian.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process depicted in the diagram, beginning with moist air approaching the coast and ending with the creation of the desert inland. An overview is successfully provided in the second paragraph. However, some aspects are slightly underdeveloped, and minor details from the visual data, such as the specific labelling of the windward and leeward sides, could have been integrated more seamlessly into a cohesive narrative. Nevertheless, all key sequential steps—winds pushed upward, cooling and cloud formation, precipitation, and dry air descending on the leeward side—are correctly reported. Therefore, the response fulfills the basic requirements of Task Achievement at a Band 6.0 level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing the stages. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial and subsequent phases of the process. Cohesive devices are employed, such as "In the begining of the process" and "In the next stage," which guide the reader through the sequence. However, referencing and transitions are at times slightly mechanical or repetitive, and sentence structures lack smooth flow. Despite these minor limitations, the logical progression is clear, meeting the descriptors for Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe physical processes like "moist air," "altitude," "clouds," and "desert condition." There are attempts to use less common vocabulary items, such as "accumulated," "decends" (misspelled), and "precipitation" equivalents. However, frequent spelling errors ("begining," "mountian," "decends," "opposit") and some awkward word choices ("start raining," "force to push upward") limit the score. The lexical range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but inaccuracies place it firmly at Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., "as the moist air pushed upward and cools as it rises and eventually form clouds"). However, there are numerous grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., "moist air... and eventually form"), missing articles ("form desert condition"), and awkward passive/active transitions ("force to push upward"). Punctuation is also sparse, leading to run-on structures. These errors occasionally cause minor strain for the reader, aligning the grammar with a Band 5.0 level.

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

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