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)

This is the formation of rain shadow desert.Overall this process involved various steps .

Firstly,the winds on the sea,whcih is travelling from thousands of kilometeres reaches the coast where the mountain located.By approaching the mountain the wind changed its direction to upward.It is pushed from behind with backward pressure . Then the air becomes moist beacuase of from the ocean .It then rises above and cools down . Afterall the process of the formation of clouds happened.It takes place on the windward side of the mountain .

Interestingly next the rain clouds converted into the black colour clouds then rain failling starts.It all happens on the peak of the mountain.

On the other hand , when the rain fells the dry air from the clouds contineous its movement through downside of the mountain which named leeward-side in downward direction.From travelling through the leeward-side this reaches to lowest side of the mountain in the inland areas.Here the rain-shadow desert formation occurs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence from coastal winds to the inland desert, including uplift, cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and the movement of dry air over the mountain. This gives the reader a relevant account of the process. However, some details are unclear or unsupported: the wind is not described as travelling “from thousands of kilometres,” and the diagram does not show clouds turning black or explain that backward pressure pushes the wind. The overview is also very general (“various steps”) rather than identifying the key contrast: moist air loses rain on the windward side, leaving dry air to create a desert on the leeward side. Clarifying that overall relationship and keeping to the diagram’s information would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the diagram’s broad order, and the transition from “Firstly” to “On the other hand” helps distinguish the windward and leeward stages. The paragraph break before the final stages also gives the account some structure. However, several links are mechanical or unclear, and the sequence within sentences can be difficult to follow. For example, “By approaching the mountain the wind changed its direction to upward” and “From travelling through the leeward-side this reaches” do not connect the stages smoothly. The opening overview is too vague to guide the reader. Use clearer stage-to-stage links, such as “As the air rises…” and “After rainfall…”, and make the subject of each sentence explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward-side,” “moist,” “dry air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also an attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “rises above” and “downward direction.” However, inaccurate word choice and spelling are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning less clear: “rain clouds converted into the black colour clouds,” “rain failling,” and “the lowest side” are not suitable descriptions of the diagram. Some expressions are also imprecise, such as “the mountain located.” Build a more reliable set of process collocations and check spelling; for example, describe air as “rising over the mountain” and rain as “falling on the windward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including clauses beginning with “which” and “when,” and the overall process can generally be followed. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, particularly in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction. Examples include “the winds … reaches,” “the wind changed its direction,” and “when the rain fells,” where agreement or tense is faulty. The opening also has a run-on structure: “This is the formation of rain shadow desert.Overall this process involved…” Punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops need attention as well. Practise describing a process consistently in the present simple, with clear subjects and accurate patterns such as “The wind is forced upwards” and “The air continues inland.”

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