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 above picture illustrates the procedure of formation of rain shadow deserts. The whole procedure comprises of 7 steps shown in the picture.

Starting from the first step the wind approaches the coastal area due to the mountain the wind is pushed upward due to the moisture presenr in the air with the time the air gets cold and clouds are formed from this moisture present in the air once the rain clouds are formed the aur gets dry and now start to travel downward the mountain and the rain shadow desert is formed on the other side of the mountain.

The two different sides of mountain show opposite air condition on the one side the air has moisture and causes rain whereas on the other side of the mountain the air is dry and causes tha formation of rin shadow deserts as they are away from the rain area so they are known as the rain shadow inlands or deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process from the initial winds approaching the coast to the final inland desert. However, some aspects are more fully covered than others, and the development of certain ideas remains slightly limited. For instance, the description of how moist air rises, cools, and forms clouds is compressed into a single, continuous sentence without fully extending or detailing the precipitation mechanism. While an overview is attempted at the beginning, the integration of the steps could be sharper to present a more cohesive representation of the entire geographical cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression from the coastal winds to the inland desert, reflecting the sequence of the diagram. However, the cohesion feels somewhat mechanical and strained due to a severe lack of punctuation. The response relies heavily on run-on sentences rather than appropriate cohesive devices or full stops, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logical transitions smoothly. Paragraphing is also under-utilised, as the second and third paragraphs attempt to bundle too many distinct ideas together without clear separation of the windward and leeward stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'coastal area', 'moisture', 'clouds', and 'rain shadow desert'. The writer attempts less common vocabulary items, but there are instances of lexical inaccuracy and spelling errors, such as 'presenr' instead of 'present' and 'aur' instead of 'air'. Furthermore, word choices like 'procedure of formation' are somewhat repetitive and could be expressed with greater natural precision and collocation. These minor errors do not impede overall communication, but they restrict the range from achieving a higher level of lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text displays a limited range of grammatical structures, consisting predominantly of simple sentences fused together without proper punctuation. There is a frequent absence of periods and capital letters to demarcate sentences, resulting in major run-on structures. Errors in grammar include missing articles (e.g., 'due to mountain' instead of 'due to the mountain'), incorrect prepositions, and faulty subject-verb agreements. While a mix of simple and complex forms is attempted, the complex structures are frequently faulty in their punctuation and clause boundaries, causing difficulty for the reader and keeping the grammatical score at this level.

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