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 diagram illustrates a desert, known as a rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, mountains are developed after going through a process. Sea side is the main factor through which winds approaches coast area, goes up the mountain and comes down the other side and reaches inland area.

Moist winds are pushed upwards from coastal area, with rising altitude the air cools and reaches the top of mountains from Windward side, that takes a shape of clouds. From these clouds rain falls occurs.

Dry air continues over the mountains from Leeward side and reaches the inland areas. Through these steps rain-shadow desert forms. As, this is an ongoing process, the desert is spreading across thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response sits at this band because it only partially addresses the task. Importantly, the length requirement is not met, as the response contains 108 words, falling 42 words short of the 150-word minimum, with 9 words copied from the prompt left uncounted. While the student attempts to summarise the diagram showing the formation of rain-shadow deserts, the overview and key stages are limited and underdeveloped. For instance, the opening sentence contains a structural error ('illustrates a desert, known as a rain-shadow desert is formed'), and the overall summary fails to clearly capture the main sequence from the sea across the windward side, mountain peak, leeward side, and inland areas. To reach a higher band, the writer must ensure the word count exceeds the minimum threshold and provide a more fully developed, detailed overview of all stages in the process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text demonstrates some organisation, dividing the process into short paragraphs corresponding to the stages of the diagram. However, there is no clear overall progression, and cohesive devices are frequently inadequate, repetitive, or inaccurate. For example, sentences often begin abruptly without smooth transitions, such as 'From these clouds rain falls occurs' and 'As, this is an ongoing process'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the individual paragraphs are very brief and fail to effectively link the progression from the coastal winds to the final inland desert. To improve coherence and cohesion, the writer should use a wider variety of cohesive markers logically and ensure that ideas flow naturally from one sentence to the next without abrupt interruptions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic topic of weather and geography, featuring terms like 'coast area', 'moist winds', 'altitude', and 'inland areas'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice, form, and collocation that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, such as 'rain falls occurs' instead of 'rainfall occurs' or 'rain falls', and 'Sea side' instead of 'The sea'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but awkward phrasing restricts precision. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to expand their lexical range, employ more precise scientific or descriptive terminology related to processes, and eliminate word-formation errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The grammar is characterised by a limited range of structures, with frequent errors that can cause difficulty for the reader. While the writer attempts complex sentences, these attempts are often faulty, such as the initial clause 'The diagram illustrates a desert, known as a rain-shadow desert is formed' which lacks a relative pronoun or correct participial form. Other errors include missing articles ('winds approaches coast area', 'takes a shape of clouds') and faulty punctuation or comma usage, such as 'As, this is an ongoing process'. To move to a higher band, the student must demonstrate a better control of basic sentence patterns, article usage, verb forms, and punctuation while increasing the variety of error-free complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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