Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29

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 diagram demonstrates various steps of forming one specific type of desert called as rain-shadow desert.

Overall, there are 7 steps which contribute in production of rain-shadow desert. the process initiates on the coast of the mountains which is spread across thousands of kilometers. Here in first step, winds with moist particles in it, evaporated from the surface of sea sea approach the coast which in result pushed and alleviated upward to the slope of mountain. When winds gained sufficient altitude it started cool due to low temperature above. Consequently, the clouds are formed which ultimately leads to rain fall. At this specific stage the rain held across the windward side.

Furthermore, in 6th stage again altitude is declining steadily which results in dry air conditions over the mountain just above the leeward side. In addition, dry air reached inland areas in order to create rain-shadow desert which lies parallel to the coastal area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully identifies the main purpose of the diagram, describing the sequential formation of a rain-shadow desert across seven stages. An overview is attempted at the beginning by noting the total number of steps and the scale ('spread across thousands of kilometers'). However, the response contains several inaccuracies in describing the geographical relationships and physical processes. For instance, the text mentions that the process initiates 'on the coast of the mountains' and states that 'altitude is declining steadily' in stage six, which misinterprets the directional flow from the sea through the windward side, over the mountain peak, and down the leeward side into the inland area. While the core message is conveyed, the lack of precision in reporting the visual data limits the score to a band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement that follows the chronological sequence of the diagram. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the stages, such as 'Overall', 'Here in first step', 'Consequently', and 'Furthermore'. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, as the response is largely clustered into two dense blocks rather than using clear paragraph breaks to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Referencing is occasionally ambiguous or faulty, such as 'rain held across the windward side' and 'dry air reached inland areas', which disrupts the logical flow. These mechanical and sometimes inaccurate transitions place the response firmly in the band 6.0 category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting process-related and geographical terms such as 'evaporated', 'altitude', 'windward side', and 'leeward side'. However, there are numerous lexical errors, awkward word choices, and morphological slips throughout the text. Examples include 'called as' instead of 'known as', 'production' instead of 'formation', 'alleviated' instead of 'elevated', and 'started cool' instead of 'started to cool'. Furthermore, repetition of basic words like 'winds' and 'air' reduces precision. While communication is not severely impeded, these persistent vocabulary and collocation errors prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'winds with moist particles in it, evaporated from the surface of sea approach the coast'). However, grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors in tense consistency, prepositions, passive voice formation, and word forms. Noticeable errors include 'winds with moist particles in it ... approach' (agreement error), 'sea sea' (duplication typo), 'pushed and alleviated upward' (incorrect voice and form), and 'rain fall' (noun/verb confusion). Punctuation is also sparse, lacking commas where necessary to break up long, clause-dense sentences. These persistent inaccuracies restrict the score to a band 5.5.

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