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 illustrates how a desert, khown as rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that there are total 7 stages, strated with winds approached from the open sea and ended with the dry winds leave the mountain and reach to inland areas.

The formation of rain-shadow desearts strated with the winds passed the sea and approach the coastal area. Then shape of the mountains pushed the winds unwards and the next stages is upwards winds cools down moist air rises unwards to form white clounds which we can see from the ground. Formed clounds then rains heavily in the windward side. The mountains spread thounsands of kilometers beacause of that leeward side don't get much rainfalls.

Afterwards, due to rain dry air continues to flow over the moutain to the leeward side. In the last stages, on the leeward side dry winds continue to flow to reach inland areas. The inland areas called rhe rain-shawod desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and provide an overview: winds arrive from the sea, rise over the mountains, produce rain on the windward side, and continue as dry air towards the inland desert. This captures the diagram’s central cause-and-effect process, and the seven-stage framing shows good task coverage. Some details, however, are unclear or inaccurate: the mountains do not “spread thousands of kilometres”; the label indicates the horizontal distance shown, not the mountains’ extent. The explanation that the leeward side receives little rainfall could also be stated more precisely as the air loses moisture before crossing the mountain. To strengthen the response further, report the stages in a clearer, more exact sequence and avoid adding interpretations not supported by the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overall summary, and paragraphs describing the process. Sequencing expressions such as “Then,” “Afterwards,” and “In the last stages” help the reader follow the stages. However, progression is sometimes weakened by unclear links and repeated information: the final paragraph repeats that dry winds continue towards inland areas, already mentioned in the overview. Some references are also difficult to follow, particularly “due to rain dry air continues,” where the relationship between rainfall and the remaining dry air is not clearly expressed. Grouping the stages more cleanly and using precise links between each cause and result would make the organisation more fluent and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “coastal area,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. However, the range and control are limited by repeated wording such as “winds,” “flow,” and “stages,” as well as noticeable spelling errors: “khown,” “desearts,” “clounds,” and “rain-shawod.” Some choices are also imprecise or unnatural, for example “mountains spread thousands of kilometers” and “rains heavily.” These errors sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for accurate process terms and collocations, such as describing air as rising, cooling, and losing moisture, and check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sequence linked with “Then” and a cause-and-effect clause beginning “because of that.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “there are total 7 stages” needs an article and a more natural construction, while “the next stages is” has a number-agreement error. Tense and verb forms are also problematic in “winds approached” and “the winds passed the sea,” where the process is better described consistently in the present simple. Articles and sentence construction need attention in “The inland areas called…” and “the leeward side don’t get.” Practise accurate present-simple process descriptions and check agreement in each clause.

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