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 the formation of a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, The desert is formed after seven naturally sequential stages, beginning from coastal winds approaching upwards to the final dry winds reaching inland regions to make the desert after covering thousands of kilometres.

Firstly, winds from coast of sea are pushed upwards by pressure before the moist air rises and turns cool. The cooler air forms clouds which cover thousands of kilometres in distance to result in rain falls at mountaineous peak.

Furthermore, once the rainfall ends the dry air continues to over moutains and stee

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the process and include several relevant stages, such as winds rising, cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air moving inland. However, the account is incomplete: it ends mid-sentence at “continues to over moutains and stee,” so the final stage and the formation of the desert are not clearly reported. The overview also inaccurately suggests that clouds cover thousands of kilometres; the diagram uses this distance to indicate the horizontal scale of the process. The response is substantially below the required 150 words, which limits the detail and coverage. To improve, describe all seven stages accurately and give a concise overview of how rain on the windward side leaves dry air to create a desert inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph beginning with “Firstly,” followed by “Furthermore.” This gives the reader some sense of sequence, and the stages are generally presented in process order. However, the progression is cut off at the end, and the final paragraph does not complete its idea, leaving the account without a clear conclusion to the sequence. Some linking is also mechanical, while “Overall” is followed by an unclear summary of the stages. Use separate, complete paragraphs for the overview and the process, and connect each stage explicitly—for example, explain that rainfall removes moisture before the remaining dry air crosses the mountains.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rainfall,” and “inland regions,” which helps communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “mountaineous peak,” although this is misspelled and the phrase is not a natural description of the diagram. Several choices are imprecise or awkward: “winds from coast of sea,” “turns cool,” and “rain falls” do not express the stages naturally. “Covering thousands of kilometres” misuses the scale label, and “stee” is an incomplete word. Aim for accurate collocations such as “winds blow in from the sea,” “the air cools,” and “rain falls on the windward side”; check spelling and complete the final phrase.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including the relative clause “which cover thousands of kilometres” and the time clause “once the rainfall ends.” The main sequence is usually understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “winds from coast of sea” is missing articles, and “before the moist air rises and turns cool” has an unclear relationship between the stages. The overview sentence is also difficult to follow because several actions are compressed into one structure. Capitalising “The” after “Overall,” is incorrect, and the final sentence is incomplete. Use shorter, complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check articles and punctuation. For instance: “As the air rises, it cools and forms clouds.”

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

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