Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-05

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)

Today we will dicuss that how one type of desert, consider as a rain-shadow desert, is formed. Here are the some main features describing how a desert is formed actually.

Firstly, the given information tells us about two sides of mountain. However, the first side of mountain is Windward side that plays a crucial role in the formation of rain-shadow deserts. The mountains are attached with sea. Therefore, windows approach coast from upper level sea.Then winds pushed upwards where the moist air rises and cools. These steps results in the clouds formation that happen rain falls.

On the other hand, here comes the other side of the mountain which is Leeward side. Dry air continues over mountain. Furthermore, they too reached the inland areas which gives the complete cycle of rain-shadow deserts.

In conclusion, this process is very useful for our ecosystem as it maintains the environment temperature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response only partially addresses the task requirements. Furthermore, the length requirement is not met, as the response falls short of the minimum 150-word count. While the student attempts to describe the formation of a rain-shadow desert, the overview is missing, and the explanation contains irrelevant personal commentary in the introduction ('Today we will dicuss...') and conclusion ('this process is very useful for our ecosystem'). The sequential steps from the diagram are outlined, but the account is limited and lacks a fully developed report of the main features, such as the scale of thousands of kilometres or the contrast between the wet windward and dry leeward sides.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation, with an attempt to separate the stages into paragraphs covering the windward and leeward sides, but there is no clear overall progression due to abrupt transitions and mechanical cohesive devices like 'Here are the some main features' and 'here comes the other side'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly with pronouns such as 'they too reached the inland areas'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the introduction and conclusion rely heavily on conversational openings and closings rather than academic summarisation, leading to a choppy and disjointed overall structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'crucial role', 'moist air', and 'inland areas', but there are noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and form, such as 'dicuss that how', 'consider as' instead of 'considered as', 'windows' instead of 'winds', and 'clouds formation' instead of 'cloud formation'. These inaccuracies occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, though the core topic of the diagram remains partially discernible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is a limited range of sentence structures, with frequent reliance on simple clauses. Attempts at complex sentences are often faulty, as seen in 'dicuss that how one type of desert... is formed' and 'These steps results in the clouds formation that happen rain falls.' There are frequent errors in verb forms, subject-verb agreement ('These steps results', 'that happen rain falls'), articles ('the first side of mountain', 'attached with sea'), and prepositions. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader throughout the response.

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