Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-03

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 given diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, what stands out from the diagram is that the process of rain-shadow deserts includes 7 steps. Another notable point is that the process starts with winds approach coast and ends with reaching dry winds in inland areas.

To begin with, rain-shadow dessert process is a natural process. whats more, the distance between coast and inland is about thousands of kilometres. In addition, winds approach coast pushed upward and the moist air rises and cools in windward side.

In the next stage, rain falls into windward side and the clouds form are stay inside of rain falls. Following this, dry air continues fall in mountain and in the leeward side. Finally, the dry winds reach its destination. In that inland, mainly the desert formed and it occurs in the mountains. Furthermore, then the formation process repeats itself and make more rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response partially addresses the task by attempting to outline the seven steps of the rain-shadow desert formation process and mentioning the scale of thousands of kilometres. However, the explanation is limited and lacks sufficient development of key geographic features. While you have included an overview, some stages are described mechanically and unclearly, such as stating that 'clouds form are stay inside of rain falls' or that the desert is formed 'in the mountains'. To achieve a higher band, you need to extend your descriptions of how the moist air rises, cools, and precipitates on the windward side before dry air descends on the leeward side, ensuring all main stages are clearly and accurately reported without confusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organization in the essay, with an introductory sentence, a brief overview, and subsequent paragraphs attempting to trace the process chronologically using transition phrases like 'To begin with', 'In the next stage', and 'Finally'. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression, and the logical flow is frequently disrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical cohesion. Referencing is also unclear in places, such as 'In that inland', which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial sequence from the sea across the mountains to the inland desert. For a higher band, you need to ensure that cohesive devices connect ideas smoothly and that information is grouped logically into well-structured paragraphs that guide the reader clearly through the visual data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task, featuring repetitive words and noticeable errors in word choice and spelling. For instance, you misspelled 'desert' as 'dessert', and used awkward collocations such as 'winds approach coast' instead of 'winds approach the coast' or 'prevailing winds blow towards the coast'. There are also lexical inaccuracies when describing the process, such as 'dry winds reach its destination'. While you attempt some topic-specific vocabulary like 'moist air', 'windward side', and 'leeward side', frequent lexical slips cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, you should expand your range of vocabulary and pay closer attention to correct word forms, spelling, and standard collocational phrasing in scientific or geographical descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside faulty attempts at complex ones. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('reach inland areas', 'in mountains'), incorrect prepositions ('reach its destination. In that inland'), and awkward verb formations ('winds approach coast pushed upward', 'clouds form are stay'). These frequent errors can cause difficulty for the reader and obscure the precise mechanics of the natural process. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate greater control over complex sentence patterns, ensure correct subject-verb agreement and article usage, and accurately handle passive structures and relative clauses.

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.