Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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 given process illustrates that various steps are involved in the formation of rain-shadow deserts, it is evident that all the seven steps are important for formation of wind upward and moist and cool air.

To begin with 1st step that is wind approach coast, in which wind comes from sea and the coastal area and it is pushed upward to the mountain from the sea level, because of the upward direction the moist air rise upward the more it gets cold , because of that evaporations , cloud forms , after the formation of cloud , rain falls on ground , because of this process dry air continues over the mountains to the leeward side because there is no moist in wind , dry wind reaches inland areas . There is thousands kilometres of distance from coast and inland. Because of all this process there is formation of rain-shadow desert.

overall it becomes apparent that all the given steps are important for the formation of rain-shadow deserts

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to rain falling on the mountains and dry air reaching inland, and you correctly locate the desert beyond the leeward side. However, the account only partly fulfils the task because it does not clearly explain the key cause-and-effect stages or provide a concise, informative overview. The opening says the steps are important but does not summarise the overall pattern: moist air rises and loses moisture on the windward side, leaving dry air to descend or continue inland. The claim that “evaporations” occurs is not supported by the diagram, and the distance label is mentioned without explaining that the process spans thousands of kilometres. Select and explain these main features more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in roughly the correct order, and sequencing phrases such as “To begin with” and “after the formation of cloud” help the reader follow the process. However, most of the description is compressed into one long paragraph and a single extended sentence, so the progression is difficult to track. Connectors such as “because of” are repeated and sometimes make the cause-and-effect links unclear. The opening and final overview also repeat the general point that the steps are important rather than adding distinct information. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a clearly sequenced account, using paragraph breaks and more varied, precise links between stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “coast,” “moist air,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” so the reader can recognise the topic and many stages. However, the range is limited and several word choices or combinations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “wind upward,” “there is no moist in wind,” and “evaporations.” Repetition of “formation,” “wind,” and “because of” also reduces precision. Use the diagram’s terminology consistently and choose verbs that describe each stage directly, such as air rising, cooling, forming clouds, and producing rainfall. More accurate collocations would make the explanation clearer without requiring unusually advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to link stages in complex sentences, for example by using “because” to explain why air rises and cools. However, these longer structures are often faulty, and sentence boundaries are not controlled consistently. The opening joins two independent clauses with a comma, while the main process sentence runs through many stages without clear punctuation. There are also recurring problems with articles, agreement, and verb forms, as in “the moist air rise” and “cloud forms.” These errors sometimes make the relationships between stages harder to understand. Build the description with shorter, complete sentences first, then add a few accurately formed clauses to show cause and effect.

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