Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-04

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 the formation of one type of desert known as a rain shadow desert. This formation consists of seven sequential steps.

Overall, as the wind approaches the coastal area, it is pushed upwards, which causes rainfall. On the other hand, as the dry air is pushed downwards towards the Leeward side of the mountain that results in the formation of a rain shadow desert.

Initially, as the wind approaches the sea, it is pushed upwards towards the windward side of the mountain. As this wind continues to move up, moist air rises and cools down. This causes cloud formation. As a result, rainfall occurs.

Whereas on the other side of the mountain, dry air follows to move in a downward direction and ultimately reaches to the inland areas. In the inland region, a rain shadow desert is formed, which is thousands of kilometers away from the coastal side of the mountain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response is 143 words long, failing to meet the minimum 150-word requirement, which is noted as a deduction. The student addresses the task by outlining the main steps of a rain-shadow desert's formation, but some parts are under-developed or inaccurately described. For instance, the text states 'as the wind approaches the sea', whereas the diagram clearly shows winds approaching the coast from the sea. The overview captures the general mechanism well, but overall development of the steps remains limited, placing this response at the designated level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays some logical organisation with a clear introduction and an overall summary paragraph. However, the overall progression is somewhat disjointed due to mechanical and repetitive use of cohesive devices, particularly the over-reliance on transitional phrases like 'as' and 'Initially, as...'. Paragraphing is attempted, but referencing between sentences can be slightly unclear, such as the sudden shift in the third body paragraph introduced by 'Whereas on the other side...'. These organisational limitations keep the response firmly at the assigned score.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'sequential steps', 'coastal area', and 'inland region'. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary, though this is occasionally accompanied by awkward phrasing or minor collocation issues, such as 'follows to move in a downward direction'. Spelling and word choices are generally clear enough not to impede communication, reflecting a solid performance for this specific criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures are sometimes faulty. Frequent minor errors in grammar and punctuation persist throughout the text, such as missing articles ('towards the Leeward side') and awkward preposition usage like 'reaches to the inland areas'. While these errors rarely completely impede understanding, the limited range of accurate structures and recurring mistakes prevent the writing from achieving a higher band.

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.