Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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 the formation of rain-shadow desert which lies behind the mountains and sea.Overall, it shows that desert formation involves winds moving cool air upward which causes rain on the windward side while dried air continues toward the leeward side.

On the windward side as the winds approach the coastal area, it reflected with mountain and being pushed to move in the upward direction.This air contains water droplet which formed clouds when cooled. These cloud causes rain as it reaches the peak of mountain.

After raining, these clous again shifted to air which when moves down on the leeward side, it got dried. This dried air when approached the inland areas become hot and dried up the moisture in land and causes teh formation of deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main process and give an overview: moist air rises, rain falls on the windward side, and drier air moves inland to create a desert. The sequence is broadly relevant, but some details are unclear or inaccurate. For example, the desert is inland beyond the mountains, rather than “behind the mountains and sea,” and the diagram shows dry air continuing over the mountain; it does not say that it heats the land or removes its moisture. The stages of cloud formation and rainfall are mentioned, but the role of the sea as the source of moist air could be explained more clearly. The response is also below the required 150 words, so several stages remain underdeveloped. Add precise details about the full sequence and the windward/leeward locations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by the windward process and then the leeward process. This makes the main progression understandable, and phrases such as “After raining” help signal a change of stage. However, some links between ideas are awkward or unclear, particularly “These cloud causes rain as it reaches the peak” and “these clous again shifted to air,” where the reader has to infer what is moving. The long final sentence also combines several stages without clear separation. Use more precise references such as “the air” or “the clouds,” and divide the sequence into shorter sentences. Paragraphing is present, but clearer links between each stage would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “coastal area,” “clouds,” and “moisture,” which helps communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “formation” and “approached.” However, several choices are inaccurate or repetitive: “reflected with mountain” does not describe the wind being forced upward, and “dried air” is less natural than “dry air.” “Hot and dried up the moisture in land” also gives an unsupported and unclear description of the final stage. Spelling slips such as “clous” and “teh” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process collocations and check spelling; this will make your adequate range more effective and less ambiguous.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and “when,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, some sentence structures are faulty, especially “On the windward side as the winds approach the coastal area, it reflected with mountain and being pushed,” where the subject and verb pattern are unclear. There are also errors in agreement and tense, as in “These cloud causes rain,” and in article and plural use, such as “formation of rain-shadow desert” and “These cloud.” Punctuation and spacing are inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops and commas. Use a clear subject for each stage, keep the process description consistently in the present simple, and check agreement and sentence boundaries.

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

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