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)

The diagram depicts that creating one kinds of desert, which is named as a rain-shadow desert. This process is made by seven stages.

Overall, it is evident that rain-shadow desert consists of seven steps, which starts from winds of the sea and ends with dry winds, which reaches inland areas.

To begin with, winds from the sea is approach to the coast. Next, winds pushed upwards to the windward side of the mountain. Moreover, this winds become moist air and cools gradually. After that, it creates dense cloud and become rain.

However, after rain fall,in the sixth stage, it becames dry air which continous over the mountain and arrives leeward side of the mountain. Finally, dry winds reach inland areas and create rain shadow desert. It is almost thousands kilometres from the coast to the inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as the formation of a rain-shadow desert and cover its main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland. The overview also gives the correct start and end points. However, some stages are unclear or inaccurately described: the air is already moist as it rises and cools, rather than becoming moist at that point, and the response does not clearly explain that cooling leads to cloud formation and rain on the windward side. The final claim that the desert is “almost thousands kilometres” from the coast is imprecise; the diagram indicates a horizontal distance of thousands of kilometres. The response is also 14 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Develop the stage relationships more fully and meet the stated length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows the process in a generally logical order, and the opening, overview and stage-by-stage account make the response easy to follow overall. Sequencing expressions such as “To begin with,” “Next,” “After that,” and “Finally” help signal progression. However, the linking is somewhat mechanical, and “Moreover” does not clearly express the relationship between the wind being pushed upwards and the air cooling. The shift to “However” before describing the later stages also suggests contrast where the process simply continues. Some references, such as “this winds” and “it,” make the subject less clear. Use fewer, more precise transitions and repeat key nouns such as “air” or “wind” when needed to maintain clear reference.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “cloud,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. There is also some attempt to vary wording with “approach,” “pushed upwards,” and “continues.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “creating one kinds of desert,” “winds of the sea,” and “create rain shadow desert.” Spelling errors in “becames” and “continous” also reduce accuracy. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the general process, but the vocabulary range remains limited and errors are noticeable. Practise standard process collocations and accurate forms, for example, “moist air rises,” “precipitation falls,” and “a desert forms.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is named as a rain-shadow desert” and a time clause beginning “after rain fall.” However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include subject–verb disagreement in “winds from the sea is approach,” the incorrect form “this winds become,” and the faulty construction “it becames dry air.” Articles and plurals are also inconsistent, as in “dense cloud” and “thousands kilometres.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation need attention, particularly the missing space after the comma in “rain fall,in.” Focus first on accurate verb forms, agreement, articles and plural nouns; then build more complex sentences from these reliable patterns.

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.