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 follwing diagrams how a rain-shadowed desert is formed.

The diagrams from the evaportion of the water from sea pushed by the moist air to the flow of dry air to the opposite side of the mountin range resulting in a desert that rarely experiences the rain due to the dry rain reaching inland areas.

The process starts from the winds approaching the sea, the sea makes the air moist. This moist air rises upward after hitting the mountain ranges. As the air hits mountain ranges it cools and rises. The Moist air forms clouds and results in the rain formation on he mountain ranges. This process takes place in the windward side of the mountain ranges.

On the leeward side of the mountain ranges dry air reaches from the top of the mountains as the clouds already brusted on the opposite side of the mountains pouring out all the rain. This dry air continues to flow down from the mountains reaching the inland area. These dry winds results in the formation of rain-shadow deserts. Deserts which recieve minimum rainfall around the year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence and give a relevant overview: moist air from the sea rises at the mountains, rain falls on the windward side, and dry air continues inland to create a rain-shadow desert. These points match the diagram and show a sound understanding of the process. Some details, however, are less fully or precisely explained. For example, the opening refers to water evaporation, which is not shown as a labelled stage, and “the sea makes the air moist” is an inference rather than a clearly described diagram feature. Clarify that winds are forced upwards by the mountain, then cool as they rise, and distinguish the windward and leeward sides more precisely. This would make the account more complete and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is arranged in a generally sensible order: an introduction and overview are followed by the windward-side stages and then the leeward-side outcome. Paragraphing helps separate these parts, and phrases such as “On the leeward side” guide the reader through the process. However, progression is not always smooth. The second paragraph repeats the idea of air rising, while the long opening overview is difficult to follow and does not clearly separate the stages. Some links, such as “as the clouds already…” make the relationship between rainfall and the later dry air awkward. Use clearer stage-by-stage transitions and avoid repeating information; this would make the sequence easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland,” which helps communicate the diagram’s key features. There is also some attempt at more specific language, such as “rain-shadow deserts.” However, word choice and spelling errors are noticeable and sometimes make the description less precise: “brusted” is not the intended verb, and “dry rain” does not express the idea of dry winds. “Rain formation” and “results in the formation” are also repetitive or unnatural in context. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling carefully, while using a few precise process verbs consistently. This would improve clarity without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a sequence of clauses describing how air rises, cools, and forms clouds. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but control is uneven, and several sentence structures are faulty. The opening overview is a fragment, and “The process starts from the winds approaching the sea” uses an awkward grammatical pattern. In “This dry air continues to flow down from the mountains reaching the inland area,” the relationship between the actions is unclear. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and punctuation, as in “results in the formation” and the inconsistent capitalisation of “Moist.” Build more reliable sentence patterns first, then use subordinate clauses to show cause and sequence.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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