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 chart illustrates how one type desert, also known as rain-shadow desert formed.

The pattern begins, when sea gave birth to winds. Winds from the sea then approach coast on the left side of mountains. It squeezed upwards, During upward push winds from the left side of mountains reach moist air, Where moist air rises and cools.

This process creates low temparature and formation of clouds. Clouds burst into rain and falls on steep of the mountains .On the other side of the mountains dry air proceed downward trend until, It reaches base of the land.

Droughty winds, which arrive through downward push, start forming rain shadow desert.

The simple process which started thousands of kilometres away, is responsible for the one the kind of rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process as the formation of a rain-shadow desert and include several relevant stages: winds approach the coast, moist air rises and cools, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air moves inland. However, the account is only partial and some relationships are unclear or inaccurate. For example, “the sea gave birth to winds” is not shown in the diagram, and the description does not clearly explain that the mountains force the moist air upwards on the windward side before rain falls. The final desert’s inland location is mentioned, but the overview of the full sequence is limited. The response also falls 22 words short of the required minimum. To develop the report, cover the stages more fully and accurately, including the contrast between the wet windward side and dry leeward side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from winds approaching the coast to rainfall and then dry air reaching inland areas. Paragraph breaks also separate parts of the process. However, progression is not consistently clear: “It squeezed upwards” and “winds … reach moist air” make the relationship between the wind, mountain and moist air difficult to follow. Some linking is awkward or overused, particularly the repeated references to “the other side” and “downward push.” Capitalisation after commas and full stops is inconsistent, which interrupts the flow. Organise the stages in a clear chronological order and use precise references such as “the air” or “the leeward side” so readers can follow what each pronoun refers to.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “formation of clouds,” “dry air,” and “rain shadow desert,” so the topic is generally recognisable. There are also attempts at less common wording, such as “downward trend” and “droughty winds,” but these are not natural or precise in this context. “The sea gave birth to winds” is an unsuitable metaphor for a factual process report, while “clouds burst into rain” is also imprecise. Spelling errors such as “temparature” are noticeable. Aim for accurate, conventional terms for the stages and landforms, and avoid decorative expressions that obscure the process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “Droughty winds, which arrive through downward push…”. However, control is uneven, and errors sometimes make the sequence hard to interpret. Examples include “one type desert” (missing article), “It squeezed upwards” (unclear subject and tense), and “until, It reaches” (incorrect comma and capitalisation). The opening also needs a clearer verb form: “how … desert formed” should use a passive construction such as “how … desert is formed.” Several sentences join clauses or punctuate them awkwardly. Practise accurate articles, consistent present-tense passive forms, and sentence boundaries while retaining a mix of sentence structures.

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