Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-13

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)

There process diagram depicts that how the precipitation occured in mountains result to the formation of rain shadow deserts.

Overall, the process consisits of 7 steps in which the cloud formation occured and than, the dry air approch the inland areas.

The process commence when the air approach the coast of sea than, winds through the pressure wind pushed upwards than the moist air rises above and cools adiabatecialy where the process of cloud formation occured at the wind ward side of mountain.

Furthermore, cloud that formed in previous steps absorb the moist and ultimately lead to rainfall at windward side.Leeward side of mountain where the dry air contiues to approches over the mountain side than in the final step dry air reaches the inland areas and ultimaelty leads to the occurence of rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a process and give its overall sequence, noting seven steps and the movement of dry air inland. You also mention the key stages of rising, cooling, cloud formation and rainfall on the windward side, followed by dry air reaching the inland area. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: clouds do not “absorb the moist”; rather, moist air cools and forms clouds before rain falls. The role of the mountain in forcing the air upwards could also be stated more clearly. The response is 135 words, below the required 150, and this limits how fully you can describe the stages and the resulting rain-shadow desert.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview and a description of the process. The sequence from coastal winds to inland dry air is generally traceable, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Furthermore” and “in the final step” help signal progression. However, the body is compressed into two long sentences, so several stages run together and the reader has to work to follow their relationships. Some connectors are used awkwardly, particularly the repeated “than” constructions, and “where” does not clearly refer to the intended stage. Use separate sentences for the windward and leeward stages, with clear references such as “this air” or “as a result,” to make the progression more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt some topic-specific vocabulary, including “precipitation,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air” and “rain-shadow desert.” These terms show awareness of the process, but the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate enough to make parts difficult to interpret. For example, “pressure wind” does not clearly describe the air being forced upwards, and “clouds absorb the moist” is not an appropriate description of cloud formation or rainfall. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “occured,” “consisits” and “ultimaelty.” Aim for accurate process language and check spelling; useful alternatives include “air is forced upwards,” “moisture condenses” and “precipitation falls.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine stages using subordinate clauses, as in “when the air approach the coast …” and “where the process of cloud formation occured,” but these longer structures are often faulty. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur throughout, for example “the process commence,” “winds … pushed upwards,” and “dry air contiues to approches.” Articles and sentence construction are also problematic in phrases such as “coast of sea,” while the opening “There process diagram depicts that how” is not grammatically controlled. These errors sometimes make the sequence hard to understand. Practise writing one clear sentence per stage, checking subject–verb agreement and tense, then add a few accurate clauses to show cause and sequence.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.