Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-06

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 illustration depicts the process of rain-shadow deserts' formation.

Overall, rain-shadow desert is formed through seven steps process, which commence with winds approaching from coastal area, and ends up with dry winds reaching inland areas.

First, winds are approached from the sea to coast, where mountains are located, and then winds pushed upwards after facing that mountains. This wind then become moist air, rises towards windward side, and cools. Subsequently, coulds are formed at the top of mountains, at which point rain falls.

After that, dry air is countinued to go over mountain, and passed through leeward side. In the end, dry winds are reached inland areas. In inland area, rain-shadow desert formed, which is thousands of kilometres away from sea, and mountains are located between sea coast and inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a sequence and give a relevant overview: winds approach from the coast, and dry winds eventually reach inland areas. Most key stages are included, including uplift, cooling, cloud formation, rainfall and the movement of dry air over the mountain. However, some details are unclear or imprecise: the wind does not become moist air at the point described; rather, moist air rises and cools, leading to clouds and rain on the windward side. The final location of the desert is mentioned, but its relationship to the leeward side could be explained more clearly. The response is also 20 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Develop the stages and their cause-and-effect links more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement, with an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs describing the stages in sequence. Sequencing expressions such as “First,” “Subsequently,” “After that” and “In the end” help the reader follow the process. However, some links are mechanical, and a few references are difficult to follow. For example, “This wind then become moist air” makes the relationship between the wind and the rising moist air unclear, while “at which point” is an awkward link between cloud formation and rainfall. The final sentence adds location information but repeats the earlier point about the mountains lying between the sea and inland. Use clearer cause-and-effect links and avoid repeating information.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “dry winds,” “coast” and “inland,” which helps convey the diagram’s main features. There is some repetition of basic terms such as “winds” and “mountains,” and several word-choice or spelling problems reduce precision. For instance, “coulds” and “countinued” are misspelled, while “winds are approached” and “dry winds are reached” are unnatural expressions. “Rain-shadow desert’s formation” is understandable but less natural than “the formation of a rain-shadow desert.” Aim for accurate collocations and use a few precise process verbs, such as “rise,” “cool,” “cross” and “reach,” rather than forcing passive forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which is thousands of kilometres away from sea” and a sequence joined with “where” and “after.” However, errors in verb forms, agreement and articles occur across the response. Examples include “seven steps process,” “winds are approached,” “winds pushed upwards,” “This wind then become” and “rain-shadow desert formed.” These should be revised to forms such as “a seven-step process,” “winds approach,” “the winds are pushed upwards,” “the wind then becomes,” and “a rain-shadow desert is formed.” Some sentence patterns are also awkward, particularly “at which point rain falls.” Check subject–verb agreement, tense consistency and article use when editing.

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