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 illustrates about the process about the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall , This process involves around seven stages. Such as , approaching , clound formation , and many more.

The process begins as winds approach the coast in sea and are subsequently pushed upwards over the mountains.Then, the wind transfrom into moist air rises and cools down on the windward side of the mountain. Then, cloud formation takes place, and in the next step, rainfall begins.

After that next is process is the rainfall, the air mass moves to the other side of the mountain (leeward side), then they transforms into dry air, and it will be continues over mountain. Lastly , these dry winds reach the inland areas. And now finally, a rain-shadow desert is formed. it takes around thousands of kilometers From the coastal area to the inland area on the other side of the mountain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of rain-shadow desert formation, from winds approaching the coast to the creation of the desert inland. However, some aspects are under-developed or expressed rather vaguely, such as the overview which lacks precision (‘This process involves around seven stages. Such as , approaching , clound formation , and many more’). The reporting covers the sequential steps accurately based on the visual data, referencing the windward and leeward sides as well as the scale of thousands of kilometres, but the lack of fully extended descriptions keeps the response at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear sequence following the numbered stages in the diagram. Paragraphing is attempted, separating the introduction, overview, and body details, though formatting is slightly unconventional. Cohesive devices such as ‘Then’, ‘After that’, and ‘Lastly’ are used to connect ideas, but referencing is at times mechanical or repetitive, particularly the frequent use of ‘Then’ at the start of consecutive sentences. While the logical progression is generally clear, these mechanical transitions prevent the response from achieving higher cohesion ratings.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate to communicate the main steps of the process, with appropriate geographical terms such as ‘coast’, ‘mountains’, ‘windward side’, ‘leeward side’, and ‘inland areas’. However, there are noticeable spelling errors (‘clound’, ‘transfrom’) and word-formation issues (‘the next is process is the rainfall’). The writer attempts less common vocabulary, but word choice inaccuracies and spelling slips occasionally surface, reflecting a limited yet minimally adequate lexical range for this task type.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures frequently contain errors. There are frequent issues with verb tenses, voice, and agreement, such as in ‘The diagram illustrates about the process about’ (unnecessary prepositions and repetition) and ‘the wind transfrom into moist air rises and cools down’ (faulty clause structure). Punctuation and article usage also show frequent inaccuracies, such as unnecessary capitalization and comma splices in the overview. These errors require some effort from the reader, though they do not completely impede overall comprehension.

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