Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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 process illustrates how a single type of desert which is rain-shadow desert is made.

Overall, it starts with a wind coming from a sea to a mountain, which evantually becomes a dry wind and reaches inland areas.

Initial the phase, as the wind gets close to the coast it gets pushed upwards by a mountain due to difference in air pressure. In windward side moist air which in turn chills as it ascends higher into the mountain, which in turn combines with other air moleculs due to cooling effect. Evantually it forms a clouds due to molecular density is concentrated in small area. At the peak many clouds gather and connect with each other for prolonged period to finally become rain clouds which in turn falls at the peak to net let any moisture get to the other side

On to the next phase, which is descending dry air continious over the mountain to the leeward side. Before escantially reaching the inland areas where there are no moisture simply because of the tall mountains which in turn makes a desert

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main process and give a relevant overview: moist air arrives from the sea, rises over the mountains, and dry air continues inland to create a rain-shadow desert. The response also follows the broad sequence from coastal winds to the leeward side. However, some details are unclear or go beyond what the diagram shows. For example, the explanation about air pressure, air molecules combining, clouds gathering for a prolonged period, and rain preventing moisture from reaching the other side is not supported by the visual. The key stages—cooling, cloud formation, rainfall on the windward side, and dry air descending inland—are present but not always reported accurately or clearly. Focus on describing only the depicted stages and explain their cause-and-effect relationship more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process. The sequence is generally understandable, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On to the next phase” help signal progression. However, cohesion becomes less effective in the long middle section, where several ideas are joined into one sentence and repeated links such as “which in turn” make the explanation mechanical. The final sentence also begins with “Before” but does not form a clear grammatical connection to the preceding idea. Use shorter sentences to separate the stages, and make each transition explicit—for example, explain that rainfall occurs before the remaining dry air crosses the mountain and descends towards the inland area.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “inland areas,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “ascends” and “precipitation-related” descriptions. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “a clouds,” “air moleculs,” “chills,” and “no moisture.” Spelling errors such as “evantually,” “continious,” and “escantially” also reduce precision. Some explanations rely on vague wording, such as “become a desert,” rather than naming the process clearly. Aim for accurate, natural terms such as “cools,” “forms clouds,” “rainfall,” and “dry air descends.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “as” and “which,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “In windward side moist air which in turn chills…” lacks a clear main clause, while “it forms a clouds due to molecular density is concentrated” combines clauses without the necessary grammatical connection. There are also errors with articles and agreement, as in “a clouds,” and the final “Before…” construction is incomplete. These problems sometimes make the sequence difficult to interpret. Build accuracy by using one main process per sentence, checking articles and subject–verb agreement, and ensuring every subordinate clause is attached to a complete main clause.

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