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 illustration depicts the formation of one particular form of desert known to be rain-shadow desert.

Overall, The process from the sea level to the inland are thousand of kilometers apart. the winds from the sea gets to the mountain and form clouds which cause rainfall and reach to the inland forming rain-shadow desert.

The wind that appears on the coast of a sea level get a push to the upper level to the windward side of the mountain which allows the air to get moisture and cools down its temperature. The air that cools down form the cloud. The cloud form cause the rainfall at the top of the mountain.

In the 6th step, the dry air kept on to the mountain keep on moving downward to the leeward side. At the last the air reach the inland areas which result in the formationof rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject and give a broad overview: sea winds rise over the mountains, rain falls, and dry air reaches inland to create the desert. You also include several relevant stages, such as cloud formation and the movement from the windward to the leeward side. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the air does not gain moisture as it rises; it is already moist, then cools and forms clouds. The overview also says the winds “form clouds,” which compresses the sequence and obscures the role of cooling. The response is three words below the required minimum, and the final stages are only briefly described. Add a little more precise explanation of the sequence and the rain-shadow effect.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing the process. The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and phrases such as “In the 6th step” and “At the last” help signal progression. However, the overview is difficult to follow because several stages are compressed into one sentence, and the transition to the final paragraph is abrupt. Some references are also unclear: “the air” could refer to the moist air, the cloud, or the dry air. Use clearer links between each stage—for example, explain that after rain falls, the remaining dry air crosses the mountain and descends inland—and avoid relying on numbered-step references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “rainfall,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps convey the topic. The range is nevertheless limited, and several phrases are imprecise or awkward, such as “get a push to the upper level,” “kept on to the mountain,” and “reach to the inland.” These choices sometimes make the process harder to picture. There are also word-form and spelling problems, including “thousand of kilometers” and “formationof.” Aim for accurate collocations and a wider set of verbs for describing movement and change. For instance, winds can be “forced upwards,” air can “descend,” and a desert can “develop” in an inland region.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which allows the air…” and a sequence linked with “which result in…”. However, errors are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to read. Subject–verb agreement is inconsistent in “the winds … gets” and “the cloud form”; articles and number are also problematic in “a sea level” and “thousand of kilometers.” The overview contains a sentence fragment-like construction, “The process from the sea level to the inland are…,” and punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent, as in “Overall, The process.” Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement, articles and plural forms before submitting.

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