Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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 diagram illustrates how to make the formation of rain shadow desert .

Overall,the process consist of seven steps,the begining step is winds approach coast and the ending with dry winds reach inland areas .However,the desert is make thousands of kilometres.

After analyzing the diagram,to begin with,the wind approch coast into winds pushed upwards then air rises moist and cools it gradually made by rose mountain.In addition,air changes into clouds form.After that rain falling is start.

Furthermore,after the rain fall the mountain wants to dry so next step is dry air continues over mountain.Additionally,windward side into leeward side and then dry winds reach inland areas.The whole process continue after finish one time.The final stage is after processing thousand of kilometres mountains is ready.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a process and mention its seven stages, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. This gives the reader a basic outline, but the main causal sequence is only partly and sometimes inaccurately explained. For example, “air rises moist and cools” and “rain falling is start” do not clearly report that moist air rises over the mountains, cools, forms clouds, and produces rain on the windward side. The statement that “the desert is make thousands of kilometres” misreads the scale arrow, which indicates distance rather than the desert’s size. The response is also 26 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Explain the stages and the formation of the inland rain-shadow desert more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an overall sequence, with an opening, an overview, and later stages introduced by phrases such as “to begin with,” “after that,” and “furthermore.” These help signal that the diagram is chronological. However, progression is not consistently clear because several stages are compressed into unclear sentences, and some links do not show the relationship between events. For instance, “after the rain fall the mountain wants to dry” makes the transition to dry air difficult to follow, while “The whole process continue after finish one time” introduces an unsupported idea about repetition. Paragraphing is present but does not separate the stages into a clear, easy-to-follow account. Use one paragraph for the overview and organise the remaining stages in order with precise links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “coast,” “clouds,” “rain,” “windward side,” and “leeward side,” so the topic is recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the description difficult to understand. “The desert is make thousands of kilometres” does not express the scale label accurately, and “the mountain wants to dry” is an unsuitable way to describe the air moving over the mountain. There are also spelling errors such as “begining,” “approch,” and “falling” where “falls” is needed. Aim for precise process terms such as “moist air,” “precipitation,” and “inland,” and check spelling and word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sequences, but control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent. Errors occur in many clauses, as in “the process consist of seven steps” and “the desert is make,” where subject–verb agreement and verb construction are faulty. The sentence “air rises moist and cools it gradually made by rose mountain” is especially difficult to interpret because the clause structure and relationships between actions are unclear. Articles and punctuation also need attention, including the space before the full stop in “desert .” and the missing space after “Overall,”. Build accurate simple sentences first, then connect them with clauses such as “As the air rises, it cools and forms clouds.”

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