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 diagram illustrates how one type desert, called as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, the whole process contain seven steps, and it starts from winds approach coast, then clouds form and rain falls, and it ends with dry winds reach inland areas.

In the beggining, the winds approach coast starts from the sea, then it slowly pushed upwards to mountains. After that moist air rises and cools, the windward side of desert. Then the cool wind changed into clouds form and the clouds are ready for starts rain to falls below the mountain.

On the next hand, dry air continues over the mountain, and it fall down to reach the inlands areas. While just below the top of mountain, leeward side helps air to reach land quickly. Then the dry winds reaches inland areas, dry the water from lands, after that water evaporates again and mixed with sky again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a rain-shadow desert process and give a broad overview of its sequence, including the movement of winds, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air reaching inland. These are relevant main features. However, some stages are unclear or inaccurately described: for example, “the windward side of desert” does not explain that moist air rises and cools over the windward side of the mountains, and “the clouds are ready for starts rain” obscures the rainfall stage. The final claim that water evaporates and mixes with the sky is not shown in the diagram, while the role of the leeward side and the resulting rain-shadow desert could be explained more clearly. A more precise account of the mountain’s effect on moist and dry air would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the stages. The sequence is generally easy to follow, and transitions such as “After that” and “On the next hand” signal movement through the process. However, some linking is mechanical or inaccurate, and the progression becomes less clear in the final paragraph, where the account moves from dry air reaching inland to evaporation without a clear connection to the diagram. The phrase “On the next hand” is also an unsuitable transition. Use clearer stage-based links, such as “As the air crosses the mountain” and “Consequently,” and keep each sentence focused on one step. This would improve cohesion while preserving the overall organisation already present.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “dry air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which helps convey the subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate enough to make parts difficult to understand. For instance, “the windward side of desert” mislabels the landform, “ready for starts rain” is not a natural way to describe precipitation, and “dry the water from lands” does not clearly express the formation of a dry region. There are also spelling errors such as “beggining.” Aim for precise process language and natural collocations, for example, “rain falls on the windward slope” and “dry air descends on the leeward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the overall sequence can usually be understood. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, particularly in verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction. Examples include “the whole process contain seven steps,” “it slowly pushed upwards,” and “the dry winds reaches inland areas”; these need forms such as “contains,” “is pushed,” and “winds reach.” Several clauses are also joined in ways that leave the meaning incomplete, as in “After that moist air rises and cools, the windward side of desert.” Articles and prepositions are often missing, too. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and tense throughout. More accurate control of these basic patterns would make the process easier to follow.

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