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 image is of diagram which illustrate us significant information regarding the how rain shadow deserts has been formed.

Overall, if we look closely it is clearly seen that diagram is divided into different steps.However, it start from sea level and ends at inland areas that is rain shadow desert.

Initially, winds approching the coast from the sea side and pushed upward when they meet the mountains on the windward side.As the moist air rises, it cools down and condense to form clouds.Subsequently, they produce parcipitation and rain falls on the windward side of the mountain.

For instance, the now dry air continues its movement over the tp of the mountain towards the leeward side.Finally, these dry winds move downward and reach the inland areas beyond the mountains and they receive very little rainfall, which over thousands of kilometres leads to the formation of rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully identifies the main process depicted in the diagram, tracing the formation of a rain-shadow desert from the sea across the mountains to the inland area. Key stages such as moist air rising, cloud formation, precipitation on the windward side, and dry winds descending on the leeward side are all reported. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum, containing 148 words. This represents a minor under-length penalty under Task Achievement guidelines. While the overview is present, it is somewhat informal ('if we look closely'), and greater depth in summarising the spatial scale ('thousands of kilometres') could have elevated the task response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overarching structure, moving logically from the sea and coast through the mountainous stages to the inland desert. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'As', 'Subsequently', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, with the text clustered into only two blocks rather than a more traditional introduction/overview and body structure. Referencing is generally clear, though minor mechanical transitions detract slightly from natural flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with domain-specific terms such as 'precipitation', 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'inland areas' incorporated correctly. There are, however, several lexical errors and awkward formations, such as 'illustrate us significant information regarding the how', 'approching' (spelling), 'tp' (spelling), and 'condense' instead of 'condenses'. While the writer attempts less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in word form and collocation limit the score to a Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses ('As the moist air rises, it cools down'). However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout, including subject-verb agreement issues ('rain shadow deserts has been formed') and missing articles ('is of diagram'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips recur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching Band 7.

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

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