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)

This diagram illustrate the process of formation of rain-shadow deserts. The process starts from sea to inland. The process involves total 7 steps and starts from sea as winds approach from coast and pushes upward. We all know that warm air rises and contain moists, this air later forms cloud. In step 5, heavy rainfall occurs due to the heaviness of clouds. In next step dry air continues over mountain through leeward side. This process take months to complete because clouds take time to form. Not only time it also covers distance in thousands of kilometers. Now in last step dry winds reach inland areas as it called rain-shadow desert. No rain occurs here becuase there is only dry air. These all steps are takes place in the formation of rain-shadow deserts, a lengthy process that follow a monthly schedual, as clouds have to travel thousands of kilometers. The starting point is sea and the ending point of this process is inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall sequence from the sea towards inland and include several key stages, such as winds rising over the mountains, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air continuing to the leeward side. However, the account only partly reports the diagram accurately: it does not clearly explain that moist air rises and cools, and it adds unsupported claims that the process takes months, that clouds travel thousands of kilometres, and that rainfall is heavy because clouds are heavy. The diagram’s distance label refers to the horizontal scale, not the duration or travel distance of clouds. The overview is also unclear when you say the inland area “is called” the desert. Focus on the depicted cause-and-effect sequence and avoid explanations not shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly chronological order, using “In step 5,” “In next step,” and “Now in last step” to guide the reader through the process. This gives it some organisation, but the progression is weakened by repeated conclusions: the opening says the process starts at the sea, and the ending repeats that the sea is the starting point and inland the endpoint. Several ideas are also joined in a way that makes their relationship unclear, particularly the claims about months, cloud formation, and thousands of kilometres. Use a clearer overview followed by a concise sequence of stages, and make each linking phrase show a genuine relationship rather than simply announce the next step.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “rain-shadow desert,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “contain moists,” “heaviness of clouds,” and “follow a monthly schedual.” These expressions make parts of the explanation difficult to interpret and introduce meanings not supported by the diagram. Spelling errors such as “becuase” and “schedual” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise set of terms for the stages—for example, “moist air,” “cools,” “condenses,” and “precipitation”—and use them consistently rather than relying on vague or speculative wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentence forms, including “No rain occurs here because there is only dry air,” and the main sequence is generally understandable. However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships unclear. For example, “This diagram illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, “winds … pushes upward” has an agreement error, and “This process take months” uses the wrong verb form. The sentence “These all steps are takes place” combines incompatible verb structures, while “as it called rain-shadow desert” lacks the required passive form. Sentence patterns are also mostly simple or joined with basic connectors. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and past/passive process forms, then vary sentence structures while keeping each stage clear.

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