Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-29

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 below illustrates the formation of rain in the shadow desert. It shows the entire process of how the process of rain starts through the direction of the wind.

The process starts when the wind approach to the coast will pushed upwards and then the air got moist as the temperature increases . The moist air rises further and condense which results in the formation of clouds. As the clouds form the rain starts to pour, at the top of mountain, which drop the temperature in the desert for little while . As the the temperature and altitude increases the process of rain formation also speeds up . During the process the dry air continues over the mountain on the leeward side . The dry wind reaches the down side of the mountain towards the inland area after the rain is poured in the desert and the cycle repeats every time .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the general subject and include several stages, such as wind moving inland, air rising, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air crossing the mountain. However, the account only partially represents the diagram because some key relationships are inaccurate or unclear. For example, you say the air becomes moist “as the temperature increases,” whereas the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling; you also place rain “in the desert,” although it falls on the windward side of the mountains. The claim that the cycle repeats is not shown. A clearer overview should explain that coastal winds rise over the mountains, lose moisture as rain, and then descend as dry winds to create an inland rain-shadow desert.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented broadly in sequence, and linking expressions such as “The process starts,” “As,” and “During the process” help the reader follow the account. However, the response is a single paragraph, and the progression becomes difficult to track where several events and explanations are joined together. The opening repeats the idea of the process (“formation… process… process”), while the final sentence combines rainfall, inland movement, and an unsupported cycle. Some references, such as “the process of rain,” are also unclear. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a logically ordered description, using clear links between each stage and avoiding repeated or confusing transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “moist air,” “condense,” “leeward side,” and “inland area,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing this process. “Rain in the shadow desert” is not the diagram’s term, and “down side of the mountain” is imprecise; “the rain starts to pour” is also less suitable for a neutral process description. Repetition of “process” and “rain” further limits flexibility. Aim for precise geographical terms and natural process verbs, such as “windward slope,” “precipitation,” “descend,” and “form a rain shadow,” while ensuring that each term matches the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect stages in longer sentences, for example with “As the clouds form…” and “During the process…,” but complex structures are often faulty, and errors sometimes make the sequence hard to understand. Examples include “the wind approach,” “will pushed upwards,” and “the air got moist,” which show problems with agreement, verb form, and tense. The sentence beginning “As the the temperature…” contains a repeated article and an unclear relationship between temperature, altitude, and rainfall. Punctuation spacing is also inconsistent. Practise describing processes consistently in the present simple and passive voice: for example, “The winds are forced upwards, where the air cools and clouds form.” Check each sentence for a clear subject and correctly formed verb.

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