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 diagram above illustrates how one type of desert, known as a rain shadow desert is formed.

Overall, the process is cyclic and it completes in one to seven steps, begining from the wind approaching the sea, to the dry winds escaping the inland region.

The formation of rain-shadow deserts began with the wind approaching the sea coast, which is further pushed upwards, against the mountain. The moist air present in the atmostsphere rises and cools down, opposite to the windward side of the mountain, as a result several clouds are formed and it leads to rainfall. Additionally, the dry air continues over mountain and flows downwards towards the leeward side of the mountain. The mountain is roughly thousands of kilometer wide.

The dry wind reaches the inland area and flows outwards. After this complex process the rain-shadow desert is formed beneath the inland, in the form of tiny water molecules.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process and describe several central stages, including air rising and cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air moving over the mountain. However, the overview calls the process “cyclic,” although the diagram shows a sequence from coastal winds to dry winds reaching inland, not a cycle. The final claim that the desert forms “in the form of tiny water molecules” is inaccurate; the diagram places the rain-shadow desert inland beyond the leeward side. The reference to the mountain being thousands of kilometres wide also misreads the scale arrow, which indicates horizontal distance. The response is 138 words, below the 150-word minimum. A more accurate overview and fuller, precise account of the stages would strengthen coverage of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, overview, and description of the process, and it generally follows the diagram from the coast towards inland areas. This gives the reader a basic sense of sequence. However, progression is weakened by the inaccurate overview that the process is “cyclic,” and the final sentence introduces an unsupported description of the desert rather than completing the sequence clearly. Linking phrases such as “as a result” and “Additionally” are used, but some connections between stages and locations are unclear, particularly “opposite to the windward side.” Organise the body in the diagram’s exact order and use clear references such as “on the windward slope” and “beyond the leeward side” to make relationships easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “rainfall,” “leeward side,” and “inland area,” which helps communicate the main subject. There are also attempts at more descriptive wording, such as “flows downwards” and “complex process.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram: “dry winds escaping the inland region” does not describe the labelled stage, and “tiny water molecules” misrepresents the desert. Spelling errors such as “begining,” “atmostsphere,” and “kilometer” also reduce precision. Aim for standard geographical terms and accurate collocations; this will make the description more precise without requiring unnecessarily elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a cause-and-effect construction with “as a result” and a sentence beginning “which is further pushed upwards.” The main stages are usually understandable, but some grammatical choices make relationships unclear. For example, “it completes in one to seven steps, begining” has an awkward verb construction, while “the moist air … rises and cools down, opposite to the windward side” does not form a clear grammatical relationship between the air and the mountain. “The formation … began” also shifts into past tense, although a present simple description is more suitable for a process diagram. Use consistent present tense and check clause structure, articles, and singular/plural agreement to improve accuracy.

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

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