Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-11

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 process of a type of desert, known as rain-shadow desert.

The process begins when wind approaching a coast passes above a sea and becomes moist. The coast pushes the wind up a mountain which cause the most air to rise and become cold. As the moist air moves upward the clouds are formed at the windward side and it starts to rain on the top of the mountain. Further, the dry air continues to travel over the mountain and then start to move towards the leeward side. Finally dry winds reaches the inland area that is located thousand of kilometers from the sea under the mountains. Rain-shadow desert is formed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process and report its main sequence: moist air rises on the windward side, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air moves inland to create a rain-shadow desert. However, the account is only partial and lacks a clear overview that summarises the key contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward side. Some details are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram shows winds approaching from the sea, but does not say they become moist over the sea, and it is the mountains that force the air upwards, not the coast. The final location is inland beyond the mountains, rather than “under the mountains.” The response also falls short of the required 150 words, leaving important stages and relationships underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “The process begins,” “Further,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the movement from the coast to the inland desert. However, the response is one short paragraph, so the overview and the detailed stages are not clearly separated. Some links are mechanical, and the final sentence, “Rain-shadow desert is formed,” feels abrupt rather than completing a developed summary. Improve progression by adding a brief overview first, then grouping the windward-side events and the leeward-side outcome. Clearer links between cause and effect would also help, for example explaining that rainfall removes moisture before the air crosses the mountain.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which allows the main stages to be understood. There is also some useful variation in describing movement, such as “rise,” “travel over,” and “move towards.” However, a few choices are imprecise or awkward: “the coast pushes the wind up a mountain” misrepresents the role of the mountain, while “under the mountains” does not accurately describe the desert’s inland position. Some phrasing is repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “air” and “mountain.” Aim for more precise process collocations and use terms such as “force upwards,” “cross the mountain range,” and “inland beyond the leeward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a time clause in “As the moist air moves upward…” and a sequence of events linked with “when” and “and.” The overall meaning remains understandable, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence boundaries reduce accuracy. For example, “which cause” should be “which causes,” “the most air” should be “the moist air,” and “dry winds reaches” should be “dry winds reach.” In “the clouds are formed,” the article is unnecessary in this general process description. The final “Rain-shadow desert is formed” also needs an article and terminal punctuation. Check subject–verb agreement and article use, and vary sentence structures while keeping each stage grammatically complete.

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