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 diagram eloborates the formation on rain-shadow forest. The process takes 7 significant step to surpass the actual results. The whole process went around the mountains covering thousands of kilometres, from the winds approaching to the cost to rain and to the formation of rain-shadow deserts inland.

The whole process starts when winds approaches the cost from the sea and hits the mountains. Then with mountain forces the winds to go upward. when the wind reach at the windward side, the air gains the moisture and become cool which lead to the formation of clouds. Then at stage five comes where clouds reached at the peak of mountain and it start raining.

Moving on, there left some dry air that continuous to thir flow over mountain and surpass the leeward side of the mountain. then the lst stage comes when that dry air reached the inland areas and this is the point where rain-shadow formulates. The total area for this whole process occurs after thousand of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially and contains a significant factual misinterpretation by referring to a 'rain-shadow forest' instead of a desert. While the student attempts to outline the seven stages of the diagram from the winds approaching the coast to the formation of the rain-shadow desert, some parts are under-developed or unclear. For instance, the overview mentions that the process takes '7 significant step to surpass the actual results,' which is vague and lacks precision. Key features such as the windward side, mountains, leeward side, and the scale of thousands of kilometres are mentioned, but the overall summary of the cyclical/linear process is somewhat limited and contains imprecise reporting of the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement with a discernible introduction and body paragraphs detailing the sequential stages of the diagram. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty. The student uses basic transitional markers such as 'Then,' 'Moving on,' and 'then the lst stage comes,' which results in a repetitive and slightly disjointed flow. Paragraphing is attempted, but referencing and logical progression could be improved to better guide the reader through the distinct phases of the rain-shadow formation without abrupt shifts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task. There are noticeable lexical errors and inappropriate word choices throughout the text, such as 'eloborates' (spelling error), 'rain-shadow forest' (wrong collocation/category), 'step' instead of steps, 'cost' instead of coast, and 'formulates' instead of forms or develops. While the writer attempts to use less common items related to the diagram, inaccurate word forms and spelling slips cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex ones which are frequently faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors in verb forms, tense consistency, and prepositions within grammatical patterns, such as 'The process takes 7 significant step,' 'when winds approaches,' 'the air gains the moisture and become cool,' and 'there left some dry air that continuous to thir flow.' Punctuation and article usage are also weak in places, leading to sentences that can cause some difficulty for the reader.

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