Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02

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 illustare steps how the formation of rain shadow is produced by one type of desert.However, there are seven steps which tells about rain process.

Overall, the procedure is start from winds approach coast where it is push upward and ends at dry winds reach inland areas by using time of thousand of kilometers.

Initially, the process is start from winds approach coast where water is collect from sea them move to upward by winds pushed .In next step,the water is moist air rises and cools by windward side of mountain, because of this process clouds are formed.In the Fifth step,rain is getting start due to cloud formed.

After the rain stops, dry air continues over mountainand moving downward by leeward side of mountain.In the final step, dry winds reach in inland area. In inland area rain shadows get under dessert.

To summrize this , process tells about the formation of rain on top of mountains and how winds are reach in dessert areas by using time thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to address the prompt by outlining the stages of rain-shadow desert formation, satisfying the minimum length requirement. However, the coverage of the diagram is only partial, and some ideas are underdeveloped or confused. For instance, the student writes that 'rain shadows get under dessert' and states the process uses 'time of thousand of kilometers,' which reflects a misinterpretation of the visual data where 'thousands of kilometres' indicates horizontal scale rather than a temporal unit. The overview attempts to capture the start and end of the process, but key intermediate stages such as cloud formation and rain falling over the windward side are not clearly synthesised. To reach a higher band, the response needs to provide a more accurate and fully developed summary of the entire sequence without introducing confusing phrasing or misunderstanding spatial labels.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organisation in the response, with paragraph breaks separating the introduction, overview, body steps, and conclusion. However, there is no clear overall progression of ideas, and the logical flow is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical and repetitive manner, such as 'Initially,' 'In next step,' 'In the Fifth step,' and 'After the rain stops,' which creates a stilted reading experience. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the exact progression from the coastal winds to the inland desert. Improving the range and flexibility of cohesive devices and ensuring a smoother logical progression between sentences would significantly enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for completing the task. The student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'winds', 'coast', 'clouds', 'mountain', and 'desert', but word choice and collocation errors frequently occur. For example, 'illustare' instead of illustrate, 'dessert' instead of desert, and phrases like 'water is moist air rises' demonstrate noticeable inaccuracies. Spelling errors, such as 'summrize', also detract from the quality of the writing and occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the student should expand their vocabulary range, use precise terminology related to geographical processes, and improve both word formation and spelling accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic active constructions. Attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty, featuring frequent errors in verb forms, articles, prepositions, and subject-verb agreement. Examples of grammatical issues include 'how the formation of rain shadow is produced by one type of desert,' 'where water is collect,' and 'how winds are reach in dessert areas.' Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and periods. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader. Incorporating a wider variety of accurate complex sentence structures and exercising better control over basic grammar rules will be essential for future progress.

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