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)

The picture illustrates how a specific kind of desert named rain-shadow desert is created.

Overall, the rain-shadow deserts are formed through a process of different atmospheric phenomena of seven steps, starting from the sea then making its way through the mountains to finally reach the rain-shadow desert travelling for thousands of kilometres .

air goes back to dry format

first the winds coming from the sea approaches the coast and gets pushed up to the mountains where it turns into moist air as it rises and cools. when it reaches the windward side the moist air transforms into clouds preparing for the fifth step where it turns into water in the form of rain, by the sixth level the rain water evaporates and turns into dry air continueing its travels over the mountain. The moment the air reaches the leeward side of the mountain it becomes dry wind. And for its final step where the wind reaches the inland ares forming the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence and give a relevant overview: winds move from the sea, rise over the mountains, produce rain on the windward side, and continue inland as dry air, creating the desert. This addresses the task, although some stages are explained more fully than others. In particular, the account says the rainwater “evaporates and turns into dry air,” whereas the diagram shows dry air continuing over the mountain; evaporation is not identified as a stage. The description of the windward and leeward sides is also somewhat unclear, and the final inland outcome could be stated more precisely. To strengthen the response, report the diagram’s stages without adding an unsupported mechanism and make the overall contrast between rainfall on the windward side and aridity inland explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the process in broadly chronological order, and the opening overview helps orient the reader. However, progression is weakened by the isolated line “air goes back to dry format,” which interrupts the description and is not integrated into a paragraph. The main process is presented as one long sequence, with transitions such as “first,” “when,” “by the sixth level,” and “for its final step” sometimes making the writing feel mechanical. Some references are also unclear, particularly “it” in the explanation of the air and rain. Organise the stages into a clear overview and a logically grouped body, and use precise links between each change in the air to make the sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also some variety in verbs such as “approaches,” “rises,” and “reaches.” However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing this diagram: “turns into moist air” suggests the wind itself changes in an unclear way, while “turns into water in the form of rain” is an imprecise description of precipitation. “Dry format” and “inland ares” also reduce clarity, and “travelling for thousands of kilometres” is attached awkwardly to the process. Aim for accurate collocations and consistent technical wording, such as “moist air rises,” “condenses,” and “dry air moves inland.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “where” and “when,” and the overall meaning can generally be followed. However, control is uneven, especially in the long sentence describing several stages. For example, “the winds coming from the sea approaches” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “dry air continueing its travels” lacks a correctly formed verb phrase. The sentence beginning “And for its final step” is also incomplete in structure, while punctuation around the long sequence makes clause boundaries difficult to identify. Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb for each stage, check agreement and verb forms, and divide the process into shorter clauses. This would preserve your range while making the grammar more reliable.

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

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