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 rain in deserts. The Mechanism of rainfall in deserts has been explained step by step in the given diagram. The diaram is comprised of seven steps.

First of all the wind from the sea moves towards the coast and is pushed towards up in the mountains as the second step. In the third step of diagram it is shown that the air containing water rises and thus heavy clouds are formed and it leads to the rainfall at the windward side. The sixth step of the diagram indicates the movement of dry air flowing over the mountain and move to leeward side. The final step which is the seventh step of the diagram shows the entering of air to the inland areas.

The whole process covers thousands of kilometers from the sea to the mountains following that the wind also moves towards the desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses the topic of the diagram, but the coverage is partial and misinterprets the overall process. The student states that the diagram illustrates 'the formation of rain in deserts,' whereas the process actually explains how rain-shadow deserts are formed, specifically why one side is wet and the other side is dry. Furthermore, while some steps are mentioned, the explanation of the sequence is somewhat confused and incomplete, missing key elements such as the rain-shadow desert on the leeward side in the main description, which only receives a passing mention in the final sentence. To move up, all parts of the visual information must be accurately reported and fully explained without conceptual misunderstandings of the core scientific process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response shows a basic level of organisation, attempting to sequence the steps using transitional markers such as 'First of all,' 'In the third step,' and 'The final step.' However, the overall progression lacks smooth flow, and the paragraphing is underdeveloped, with the entire body of information crowded into a single dense block after a brief introduction. Additionally, cohesive devices are sometimes repetitive and mechanical, such as the repeated phrase 'of the diagram.' To improve, you should group related steps into logical paragraphs and use a wider, more natural variety of connecting phrases to link the stages of the process together seamlessly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic summary, but it lacks precision and relies heavily on words lifted directly from the prompt, such as 'wind,' 'sea,' 'coast,' 'mountain,' and 'desert.' There are noticeable spelling and typographical errors, such as 'diaram' instead of 'diagram' and 'move' instead of 'moves' in agreement contexts. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are limited, and phrasing can be awkward, such as 'pushed towards up.' To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary by paraphrasing the labels in the diagram using synonyms and less common lexical items related to geographical processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing displays a limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at passive voice and complex clauses. There are frequent errors in grammar and sentence structure, such as awkward prepositions and phrasing in 'pushed towards up in the mountains' and agreement slips like 'air containing water rises and thus heavy clouds are formed and it leads to the rainfall.' Punctuation and article usage also show frequent inaccuracies, such as missing articles before geographical features. To improve, you need to increase your control over complex sentence patterns and reduce basic grammatical and structural errors.

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

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