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 image illutrates the sequence of one type of dessert, named as rain-shadow dessert is shaped. The diagram provides imformation several stages invovled in formation of rain-shadow dessert.

Overall, the formation consists of several stages, beginning with wind approach cost and culminating into the dry wind which reached in inland areas.

Initially, the process starts with wind approach on sea level. Follow this the same wind push upwards towards the clouds. when the wind reached over mountain mid way, it is converted into moist air. Moreover, the air is rise and cool. Once this completed, It is transformed into cloud forms. Subsequently, these clouds are reason for heavy rain fall.

In the next stage, rains drops continue with dry air over mountains. This is followed by the leeward side in which dry wind reached towards inland areas. Therefore, it covered the thousand kilometer of area and results into the rain-shadow dessert in inland,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by attempting to outline the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert, from the initial winds approaching the coast to the creation of dry inland conditions. However, some aspects of the process are under-developed or described with slight confusion, such as the sequence where moist air rises and cools before cloud formation and precipitation. While an overview is provided at the beginning, the lack of precise detail and minor inaccuracies in tracing the complete sequence prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement and logical progression, moving naturally from the initial coastal approach to the inland desert. Paragraphing is utilised adequately to separate the introduction and overview from the body stages. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty, relying on repetitive transitional phrases like 'Follow this' and 'In the next stage'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as pronoun usage referring back to previous steps, which affects the smoothness of the progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, though it is limited and contains several noticeable errors in word choice, form, and spelling. For instance, 'illutrates' and 'dessert' instead of 'illustrates' and 'desert', alongside awkward collocations like 'wind approach cost' instead of 'winds approach the coast' and 'heavy rain fall'. Less common vocabulary is attempted, but inaccuracies in word formation and spelling are frequent enough to detract from the overall quality of the response, though they rarely completely impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms, though control over complex structures is limited and frequently faulty. Examples of grammatical errors include 'the sequence of one type of dessert... is shaped', 'imformation several stages invovled', and 'the air is rise and cool', showing inaccuracies in verb forms, passive structures, and tense consistency. Punctuation errors also appear, but despite these various mistakes, the meaning remains mostly clear and communication is rarely impeded.

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.