Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-01

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 process chart describes the ways how one type of desert known as a rain-shadow formed.

Overall, there are seven stages in the process, begining with winds approach coast and culminating in dry winds reach inland areas.

To begin, winds approach coast starts above the sea and blow toward the mountains where it goes to upwars side and it becomes moisterised and cools when it goes above. Follwing this, from the windward side cool air forms into clouds and start the rain falls.

Next step, dry air seprets from the clouds. In the subsequesnt step it continue travells to the down side, where it reaches to the inland areas and over at the rain-shadow desert, this process run continous throught the tousand

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, outlining steps from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. However, important information is omitted or cut short near the end of the response, and the word count falls significantly below the 150-word minimum requirement at only 122 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, and several key features from the diagram are under-developed or truncated abruptly, particularly the description of the leeward side and the rain-shadow desert itself.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation in the response, beginning with an introductory sentence and attempting to sequence steps chronologically using transitional markers such as 'Overall', 'To begin', 'Follwing this', and 'Next step'. However, there is no clear overall progression due to mechanical and repetitive use of cohesive devices, and some sentences lack logical connection. Paragraphing is attempted, but referencing between sentences is often unclear, such as the sudden shifts in subject pronouns and missing connectors in the final paragraph.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for describing a process. The student attempts to use some task-specific vocabulary such as 'winds', 'moist air', 'clouds', and 'desert', but there are noticeable errors in word choice, word formation, and spelling, including 'begining', 'upwars', 'moisturised', 'seprets', 'travells', 'continous', and 'tousand'. These lexical errors and awkward collocations cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response shows a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple and flawed complex sentences. There are frequent errors in verb forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions within grammatical patterns, such as 'winds approach coast starts', 'where it goes to upwars side', 'rain falls', and 'this process run continous'. Attempts at complex structures are often faulty, and grammatical errors cause frequent difficulty for the reader in following the mechanics of the process.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.