Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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 type of desert, which known as rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the operation of this desert is divided into two main parts; the first one : prior rain falls , and the second one : after rain falls.

The process begins when the winds come out from the sea till they got pushed upwards the mountains, then these winds rises and cools into windward side, after that the clouds started to form and by reaching the peak of mountains the rain started to fall.

After raining, the dry air continues over the mountains till reaching the Leeward side, here the dry winds finally reach inland areas and digging over thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process as rain-shadow desert formation and include its main sequence: winds approach from the sea, rise over the mountains, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air reaches inland. However, the overview that it has “two main parts” before and after rainfall is limited and does not clearly summarise the key cause-and-effect pattern: moisture is lost on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert on the leeward side. Some details are unclear or inaccurate, such as saying the winds “rise and cools into windward side”; the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling above the windward slope. The response also does not meet the 150-word minimum, so the process is only partially reported. Add clearer stage descriptions and explain the windward/leeward contrast.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order, moving from the winds’ arrival to rainfall and then the dry air’s movement inland. The paragraph break also separates the overview from the process description. Sequencing expressions such as “The process begins,” “then,” “after that,” and “After raining” help the reader follow the stages. However, the overview’s division into “two main parts” is not developed clearly, and the long process sentence combines several stages, making their relationships harder to follow. Some linking is mechanical, and “here” does not refer precisely to a clearly named location. Use separate sentences for the windward and leeward stages, and connect them with explicit cause-and-effect language.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “winds,” “mountains,” “clouds,” “rain,” “dry air,” and “inland areas,” so the general topic is clear. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the description difficult to interpret. For example, “winds come out from the sea” is less precise than describing winds approaching from the sea, while “digging over thousands of kilometres” does not convey the diagram’s meaning. “Operation of this desert” is also an unnatural way to describe its formation. Build a more precise process vocabulary, using terms such as “moist air,” “precipitation,” “windward slope,” and “leeward side,” and check that each verb accurately describes the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sequence joined with “when,” “then,” and “after that.” However, the range is limited, and errors in sentence structure, verb forms, agreement, and articles occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to read. Examples include “formation of type of desert,” “which known as,” “these winds rises and cools,” and “the rain started to fall.” The long sentence beginning “The process begins” also has unclear clause construction. Aim for accurate present-simple descriptions of a process: for example, “Moist air rises over the mountains and cools, forming clouds.” Use shorter sentences to control agreement and verb forms, and check articles and punctuation.

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