Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

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)

This diagramatic flow chart illustrates the natural phenomina for the formation of rain-shadow deserts in a proper flow of steps:

Firstly,the sea winds above the sea flow from the sea surface and push upwards towards the steep of the mountain and become moist and condensed at Windward side.Furthermore its temperatue has been lowerd which ultimately leads to the formation of clouds which becomes the reason of heavy rainfall moreover, the air becomes dry and continue to move downward along the mountain i.e leeward side.As a result the dry air reach the inland areas which leads to the formation of rain-shadown desert.In this whole phenomina the air covers disance of thousands of kilometers from its introduction above sea surface to the final destination of inland areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main sequence: winds arrive from the sea, rise at the mountains, produce clouds and rain, then continue inland as dry air and contribute to desert formation. You also mention the windward and leeward sides and the diagram’s distance scale. However, the account is brief and some stages are unclear or inaccurate: the air is moist before it rises and cools, rather than becoming moist at the windward side, and the diagram does not specify heavy rainfall. The response also contains 125 words, below the required 150, so several stages and their relationships are underdeveloped. Add a concise overview and explain more precisely how cooling causes precipitation and leaves dry air on the leeward side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the process in broadly chronological order, and markers such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “As a result” help signal progression. This gives the reader a basic sense of how the stages connect. However, nearly all the information is compressed into one long sentence, with several transitions joined together, including “clouds which becomes the reason of heavy rainfall moreover.” This makes the progression difficult to follow and the linking words feel mechanical. Separate the stages into clear sentences, use a paragraph break where appropriate, and make each connector express the actual relationship between events. Clearer sentence boundaries would also help distinguish the mountain’s windward and leeward processes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “condensed,” “formation,” “inland areas,” and “leeward side,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings reduce precision: “sea winds” is less exact than “moist air from the sea,” while “steep of the mountain” and “its introduction” are awkward in this context. There are also noticeable spelling errors, such as “diagramatic,” “phenomina,” “temperatue,” and “rain-shadown.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. Using terms such as “rises,” “cools,” “precipitation,” and “rain shadow” consistently would make the description more precise and appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect several stages using subordinate clauses, for example, “which ultimately leads to the formation of clouds,” and the overall meaning can generally be followed. However, the response relies heavily on one extended sentence, and attempts at complex structures are often faulty. In “clouds which becomes,” the verb does not agree with the plural noun; “the air becomes dry and continue” also needs a matching verb form. The opening colon and the repeated commas do not provide clear sentence boundaries, while “Firstly,the” lacks a space after the comma. Use a mix of shorter, complete sentences and carefully controlled complex sentences, checking agreement and punctuation in each.

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