Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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 phenomenon of rain-shadow formation, which is a type of desert.

Overall,it is a seven step process which originates from costal areas in the form of clouds and rain, passing over mountains and finally descending as dry winds.

The winds approach the coasts of sea, with winds pushed upwards by the sea breeze. This leads to water molecules travel in the air making it moist and cool. Thus cloud formation starts and eventually it pours down as rain as it travels along high alltitude ranges of mountain passing by windward side.

The top is covered in snow, this half shows the descent while dry air continues over the mountain. The steep path along the leeward side makes dry winds reach the inland areas. Inland recieves the rain particles indirectly through the ground, thus creating the rain-shadow desert after crossing distance of thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a sequence and give a broad overview from coastal moisture to dry winds inland, which captures the diagram’s main direction. However, some stages are inaccurate or unclear: the diagram says winds are pushed upwards by the mountains, not by a “sea breeze,” and it does not show snow or rain reaching inland through the ground. The explanation of how rising moist air cools, clouds form and rain falls is relevant, but the later stages and the windward/leeward contrast need more precise reporting. The response also falls three words short of the required 150 words. Add accurate detail about the mountain’s role and explain that dry air descends on the leeward side, creating the inland rain shadow.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall sequence, moving from the coast to the mountains and then inland, and the opening overview helps orient the reader. Paragraphing also separates the overview from the process details. However, connections between stages are sometimes unclear: “The top is covered in snow, this half shows the descent” does not clearly explain how the process moves from rainfall to dry air. Linking expressions such as “Thus” and “eventually” are used, but some transitions feel mechanical or connect ideas that are not supported by the diagram. Organise the body in a clearer chronological chain, with one sentence for the windward stages and another for the leeward descent and desert formation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist,” “cloud formation,” “windward side,” “leeward side” and “rain-shadow desert.” This gives you a useful foundation for describing the diagram. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “coasts of sea,” “high alltitude ranges,” “rain particles” and “receives the rain particles indirectly through the ground.” “Costal” and “alltitude” are also misspelled, and “recieves” contains a spelling error. These issues sometimes make the intended process difficult to follow. Aim for precise, conventional terms such as “coastal winds,” “mountain range,” “precipitation” and “dry air descends,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is a type of desert” and a sequence of linked process clauses. The main stages are generally understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “This leads to water molecules travel” needs a structure such as “This causes water molecules to travel,” while “as it travels along high altitude ranges” has an unclear pronoun reference. The sentence beginning “The top is covered in snow” joins two independent ideas with a comma, and “Overall,it” needs a space after the comma. There are also article and agreement problems in phrases such as “coasts of sea.” Use shorter, controlled sentences to describe each stage, then check verb patterns, punctuation and references.

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