Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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 depicts the process of the formation on one type of desert known as a rain-shadow desert.this include the formation of rain shadow deserts of specific type.

overall, there are total of seven steps of the process,that should be done in the same order in order to form a rain shadow desert.

The mountains are situated at the area of thousands of kilometers.The process of formation starts with the winds approaches towards the mountain,due to the curve of mountain the wind is pushed upward following the path of mountain windward side.The wind creates air moist and cools.at the forth step,the clouds are formed.due to moist in air, there is a rain fall at the top of mountain.the shadow of rain is created on the mountain due to the position of rain falss clouds. after the rain falls, the dry air contunues to move over mountain folloiwng the leeward side. At the last step of the formation of rain shadow desert, the dry wind reaches to the inland areas of mountain creating the feect of rain shadow deserts of specific type.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence and give an overview that the process has seven stages, from approaching winds to dry winds reaching inland. You also identify the key outcome: a rain-shadow desert forms beyond the mountains. These details address the task, but some stages are less fully or accurately explained. For example, the diagram shows winds approaching from the sea and being forced upwards over the windward side; your account says they approach “towards the mountain” without clearly identifying their coastal origin. The explanation that the desert results from the “shadow of rain” is unclear, and the diagram’s horizontal scale of thousands of kilometres is not explained. To strengthen the response, describe the contrast between rainfall on the windward side and dry conditions on the leeward side more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the process in broadly chronological order, and phrases such as “at the fourth step,” “after the rain falls,” and “at the last step” help the reader track the stages. However, the organisation is limited to a short introduction, a general overview, and one long paragraph containing nearly all the details. Several links are mechanical or unclear: “due to the curve of mountain” and “the shadow of rain is created” do not make the relationship between stages easy to follow. Some ideas also run together because punctuation and sentence boundaries are not consistently controlled. Grouping the stages into clearer sections and using precise links to show cause and result would create smoother progression and make the sequence easier to understand.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist,” “clouds,” and “dry air,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “the formation on one type,” “the wind creates air moist,” and “the shadow of rain.” Spelling errors including “contunues,” “folloiwng,” and “falss” also make the description less clear. Aim for precise process language and check spelling carefully. For instance, describe air as “becoming moist” or “cooling,” and say that rain “falls on the windward side” before the air continues inland as dry air.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including cause-and-effect structures with “due to” and sequencing clauses such as “after the rain falls.” The overall sequence remains understandable, but there are some errors in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and punctuation. Examples include “there are total of seven steps,” “the winds approaches,” and “the wind is pushed upward following the path of mountain.” The opening also contains a sentence boundary problem: “desert.this include.” Use consistent subject–verb agreement, articles, and complete sentence boundaries; for example, “There are seven stages in total” and “The winds are forced upwards over the mountain.” More accurate control of these patterns would make the process description clearer.

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