Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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 picture illustrates the process of forming rain shadow deserts .In the initial stage we can see that the winds from sea approach towards the coast. Then the winds are pushed upwards gradually where the moist air rises .

We can easily see tha the moist air rises from the windward side

As a result it cools down and clouds form alomost near the top of the hill . Then they finally go at top of the hill and the rain starts to fall .

After that the dry air continues over mountain towards the leeward side and we can see that it goes downward and finally the dry winds reach inland areas where the rain shadow desert finally forms .

We can also see that the distance from the coast to the inland area is almost thousand of kilometres.At last we can say that , there are overall seven steps which transforms winds into rain shadow .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and correctly mention cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and the windward and leeward sides. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the stage-by-stage account: “there are overall seven steps” identifies the number of stages but does not summarise the key transformation from moist air rising and losing moisture to dry air creating a desert inland. Some details are also unclear or imprecise, such as saying the rain-shadow desert “finally forms,” which can suggest a sudden event rather than the result of the process. To strengthen the response, state the overall cause-and-effect pattern clearly, then describe the stages and the inland distance shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and paragraph breaks help distinguish the initial movement, rainfall, and inland outcome. Sequencing expressions such as “In the initial stage,” “Then,” and “After that” make the process easy to follow overall. However, the linking is sometimes mechanical, with repeated “Then,” “finally,” and “we can see,” and the separate sentence “We can easily see tha the moist air rises from the windward side” interrupts the flow by repeating information from the preceding sentence. The final sentence also adds a summary after the process has already been described without clearly functioning as an overview. Grouping related stages more smoothly and using clearer references would improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. The range is adequate for describing the sequence, but several choices are repetitive or imprecise: “we can see” occurs more than once, and “the rain shadow desert finally forms” is less precise than describing how dry conditions lead to the desert. There are also spelling errors, including “alomost” and “tha,” and the phrase “thousand of kilometres” is not expressed naturally. Aim for more precise process verbs and accurate collocations, while checking spelling and avoiding repeated general phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes both simple sentences and some attempts at complex structures, such as “After that the dry air continues over mountain towards the leeward side and we can see that it goes downward.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors occur in basic sentence construction and punctuation. For example, “The given picture illustrates the process of forming rain shadow deserts .In” has incorrect spacing around punctuation, while “there are overall seven steps which transforms winds” has a subject–verb agreement error. Articles and plurals are also problematic in “over mountain” and “thousand of kilometres.” These errors do not prevent the reader from following the process, but more reliable control of agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries is needed.

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