Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

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 illustrates how a rain shadow desert is formed through the coast area to inland.

Overall, The process consists of seven main stages, beginning with wind approching the coast and ending with dry winds reaching. The main stages involve winds approching, winds puching upwards, moist air, cloud forming, rain falling and dry winds reaching finally rain shadow desert forming. The mountains consists of two main sides winward side and leeward side.

Initially, winds approch the coast from the sea and pushed into upwards. Next, moist air rises and then cools. After that, clouds form and rain falls start in winward site. Dry air continues then moved to over mountain in leeward side. Once this has been done, dry air pass through the mount and dry winds formed in inland areas. Finally, a rain shadow desert is formed. The process has done through the coast and sea areas to inland area from thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student covers all major parts of the process shown in the diagram, tracing the formation of a rain-shadow desert from the sea and coast across the mountains to inland areas. An overview is provided, noting the seven main stages and the division of the mountains into windward and leeward sides. However, the development of some ideas is slightly repetitive and mechanically lists the steps from the prompt rather than synthesizing them fluidly. Key geographical features like the rain-shadow desert and the scale of thousands of kilometres are mentioned, though some descriptions are overly simplistic. Overall, the response fulfills the task requirements adequately, earning a band score of 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text is structured into three paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. There is a logical progression following the sequential steps of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Next', 'After that', and 'Finally' are used to signal the sequence of events. However, referencing and transitions are sometimes mechanical or awkward, as seen in phrases like 'Once this has been done, dry air pass through the mount'. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, but cohesion occasionally lacks natural flow, placing this criterion at a solid band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common subject-specific terms such as 'rain shadow desert', 'windward side', and 'leeward side'. However, there are notable spelling errors and word-choice inaccuracies throughout the text, including 'approching' (approaching), 'puching' (pushing), 'winward site' (windward side), and 'mount' (mountains). While these lexical errors do not completely impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a 5.5, as precision and control are compromised by frequent surface-level mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is weak. There are frequent errors in verb forms, voice, and prepositions, such as 'winds pushed into upwards' (passive voice error), 'rain falls start' (tense/form error), and 'dry air continues then moved to over mountain' (faulty verb chain). Punctuation and sentence boundaries occasionally show strain. Because errors are frequent across complex structures and cause some distraction for the reader, a band score of 5.0 is appropriate.

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