Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-08

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 cycle illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert which is made from various stages begining from winds approaching towards coach to dry winds reaching inland areas.This whole cycle undergoes with mainly of 4 major stages.At a glance, the most important stage is occuring in the windward side.

Overall,it is clear that,the formation of clouds is one of the imperative stages among all other stages.Clouds are getting formed through various stages such as in step:1 winds comes closer to the coast and then the sea waves assisting winds to be pushed upwards in the second step.Thirdly,moisturisation causes the winds to be cool down and with cooled down air the clouds form.In the 5th step,heavy clouds are causing rainfall which is getting transitioned towards leeward slope causing the dry air to continue over the mountain.Lastly,dry winds arrives in inland areas where the rain-shadow desert is formed in inland area.Furthermore,there is a distance of about a thousands of kilometres in between the sea-coast and the inland area where the desert is getting formed.

In conclusion,one of the most crucial phases of the formation of rain-shadow desert are causing in the windward slope where the winds are getting into a shape neccessary for overall formation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process and describe its broad direction, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and you mention the rain-shadow desert and the windward and leeward sides. However, the account is only partly accurate and some key stages are unclear. The diagram shows moist air rising and cooling, clouds forming, and rain falling on the windward side; your phrase “moisturisation causes the winds to be cool down” does not clearly explain this sequence. You also say sea waves push the winds upwards, which is not shown, and describe rainfall as transitioning towards the leeward slope. The overview that the windward side is important is relevant, but the claim of “4 major stages” is not supported by the seven labelled steps. Report the stages more precisely and avoid adding causes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: you begin with an introduction, use “Overall” to signal a summary, and present the process broadly in sequence before ending with a conclusion. However, progression is not consistently clear because the overview and detailed account overlap, and the final conclusion largely repeats the point about the windward slope. Linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “Next,” and “Finally” could make the stages easier to follow, while separate paragraphs for the overview and process details would clarify the structure. Several transitions are awkward or unclear, including “In the 5th step” after the earlier stages are described in prose, and “causing the dry air to continue over the mountain,” which makes the relationship between rainfall and the next stage difficult to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward,” “leeward,” “rainfall,” and “inland,” and attempt more formal terms such as “imperative” and “crucial.” However, the range is limited by repeated use of “stage,” “formation,” and “causing,” and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural. “Sea waves assisting winds” introduces an unsupported idea, while “moisturisation” is not the appropriate term for the air becoming moist. Phrases such as “getting transitioned” and “inland area where the desert is formed in inland area” are also imprecise or repetitive. Aim for accurate process verbs and natural collocations, such as “moist air rises,” “cools,” “condenses,” and “rain falls,” rather than using formal-sounding words that do not fit the meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence joined with “and then” and “where,” but complex sentences are often difficult to control. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur in phrases such as “winds comes closer,” “dry winds arrives,” and “the winds are getting into a shape.” Other examples include “causes the winds to be cool down” and “a distance … in between,” where the grammatical patterns are faulty. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent: several sentences run directly into the next word after a full stop or comma, and the opening sentence contains a long, unclear construction. Use shorter sentences to explain each stage, check subject–verb agreement, and practise patterns such as “causes the air to cool” and “the winds reach inland areas.”

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