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 given diagram illustrates the process which shows the formation of rain shadow deserts.

Overall, The procedure includes 7 distinct stages which starts from sea resulting to rain shadow deserts which travels around thousands of kilometres.

Regarding the Windward area, it ascendes the wind from coast through which it is pushed upwards. The collected moist air is then cooled down that converts it into a cloud. As soon as the cloud is formed, the rainfall occurs.

On the other hand, Leeward side contains a dry air over the mountains which descendes and reach towards the inland areas that concludes with a rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the process and give a basic overview of its seven stages, then describe the windward and leeward sides. However, the account is only partial and some key relationships are unclear: the winds approach from the sea, rise over the mountains, and lose moisture as rain before dry air continues inland. The phrase “which travels around thousands of kilometres” misrepresents the diagram: the arrow indicates the horizontal scale, not that the desert travels. The final stage is also imprecise because the dry winds reach inland areas, where the rain-shadow desert is located. The response is 46 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail available. Include the full sequence and clarify the outcome.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction and overview are followed by one paragraph on the windward side and another on the leeward side. “On the other hand” helps signal the shift between the two sides, and the stages are generally presented in sequence. However, progression is sometimes weakened by unclear links, such as “Regarding the Windward area, it ascendes the wind from coast,” where the subject and process are difficult to follow. The overview’s reference to the desert travelling also disrupts the logical account. Use clearer stage-to-stage links, and make each sentence’s subject explicit—for example, explain that winds rise when they meet the mountains.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “cooled down,” “rainfall,” “inland areas,” and “rain shadow deserts,” so the topic is generally understandable. There is some attempt at less common language, but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “ascendes the wind” and “descendes” do not describe the process correctly, while “collected moist air” and “converts it into a cloud” are awkward collocations. “Travels around thousands of kilometres” also gives the scale arrow the wrong meaning. Aim for precise process verbs and natural combinations, such as “winds rise,” “air cools,” and “clouds form.” Check spelling and word forms, including “ascends” and “descends,” though more suitable verbs would improve accuracy further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview clause “which starts from sea” and the sequence “As soon as the cloud is formed, the rainfall occurs.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions remain. In “The procedure includes 7 distinct stages which starts,” the relative clause needs a plural verb (“start”), and “from sea” needs an article. The opening “Overall, The” has incorrect capitalization, while “the collected moist air is then cooled down that converts it” has a faulty clause connection. The final sentence also shifts between singular “air” and plural “descendes and reach.” Use shorter, controlled clauses and check agreement, articles, and how clauses are joined.

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