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 Illustrate the formation of a rain-shadow desert.

overall There are seven steps involved in the formation of a desert.It takes place with sea and land with a thousands of kilometers mountain in between of them.

The formation of rain-shadow deserts also followed sevensteps :

1.Winds approach coast

2.winds pushed upwards

3.moist air rises and cools

4.clouds form

5.rain falls

6.dry air continues over mountain

7.dry winds reach inland areas

Out of these seven steps , first 5 steps takes place on windward side of the mountain and next 2 steps takes place on leeward side of mountain.

So the flow goes like , from the sea winds approach coast , then they pushed upwards mountain , moist air rises and cools which leads to clouds formation then the rain fall starts ,these steps takesplace on windward side .

After these Dry air continues over mountain and reaches Inland areas which is responsible for The formation of Rain-Shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the process as having seven stages and give a generally accurate account of the sequence, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. The distinction between the windward and leeward sides is also relevant, and your overview recognises the mountain’s role in separating the wetter and drier areas. This covers the main features, with the sequence itself clearly grounded in the diagram. However, some details are less fully explained: for example, you list “moist air rises and cools” and “clouds form” but do not clearly explain that cooling leads to cloud formation and rainfall on the windward side. The statement about a “thousands of kilometers mountain” is unclear and misrepresents the scale label, which refers to the horizontal distance. Clarifying this and developing the causal links would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a numbered sequence, and a final explanation of the two mountain sides. The numbered list makes the stages easy to locate, and the final paragraph attempts to connect them into a continuous process. However, progression is weakened by repeating the same seven stages in both the list and the prose, while links between ideas are sometimes mechanical or unclear. For instance, “So the flow goes like” is informal, and the long final sentence joins several stages without clear punctuation. The overview also runs directly into the next sentence. Grouping the stages into two concise paragraphs—windward processes and leeward processes—and using clear transitions would improve the flow and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. The repeated use of the diagram’s labels is appropriate, but the range of language for describing cause and sequence is limited, and some choices are inaccurate or awkward. “A thousands of kilometers mountain” does not express the scale information correctly, while “clouds formation” and “the rain fall starts” are unnatural combinations. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, as in “Inland” and “Rain-Shadow.” Aim for precise process collocations and vary the verbs used to explain how one stage leads to another. This would make the description more fluent and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, such as the final explanation linking rising air, cloud formation, and rainfall. However, control is uneven, and errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence boundaries are noticeable. Examples include “The diagram Illustrate” instead of “illustrates,” “first 5 steps takes place” instead of “the first five steps take place,” and “then they pushed upwards,” which needs a consistent present-tense passive form. The opening overview also contains a run-on boundary: “desert.It takes place.” Longer sentences become difficult to follow when several stages are joined with commas. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions and use full stops or conjunctions to separate stages; this will help you retain sentence variety while improving clarity.

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

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