Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-01

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 above diagram shows the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, diagram shows seven steps of formation from winds approach coast at sea level to reach dry air to thousands of kilometres inland areas. Firstly at sea level winds approach to coast and push upwards to mountain to moist air which helps to firm clouds. Clouds from moist air let rain falls to sea lavel. On other side after rain falls dry air continues over the mountains on leeward side and reach to inland areas. These area called as rain-shadow desert.

In conclusion, above diagram illustrates the fomation process of rain-shadow deserts. It shows how winds firm cloud and lead to rain falls.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a process and give a broad overview of the movement from the coast, over the mountains, and towards an inland desert. You also mention the key outcome: rain falls on one side, while dry air continues on the other. However, the account is only partial and some stages are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form, but this sequence is not clearly explained. The overview also says winds reach “thousands of kilometres inland,” although that label indicates the horizontal scale rather than a stated distance travelled. The response is 112 words, below the required 150, which limits the detail provided. Describe each stage more fully and distinguish the windward and leeward sides.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an opening, an overview, a description of the process, and a concluding sentence. The sequence is partly signalled by “Overall,” “Firstly,” and “On other side,” so the reader can follow the general movement from the coast to inland areas. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the overview and conclusion repeat the same general point, while the main paragraph compresses several stages into one sentence. Some links are also awkward, such as “to moist air which helps to firm clouds,” making the relationship between rising air, cooling, and cloud formation difficult to follow. Organise the stages in order, using clear links between each, and avoid repeating the overview in the conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “formation,” “coast,” “mountains,” “leeward side,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also an attempt to describe movement with phrases such as “push upwards” and “continues over the mountains.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce precision: “firm clouds” appears where you mean “form clouds,” and “reach to inland areas” is not a natural collocation. “Fomation” and “sea lavel” are also misspelled. Use accurate process verbs and the diagram’s terms consistently, such as “rises,” “cools,” “condenses,” and “precipitation,” while checking spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the basic meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in sentence structure and grammatical forms. For example, “Overall, diagram shows” is missing an article, while “winds approach to coast” has an unnecessary preposition and lacks an article before “coast.” The clause “after rain falls dry air continues” needs clearer punctuation and a more complete structure, and “These area called as” has problems with agreement and passive construction. The final sentence also repeats the process without adding much grammatical variety. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions and passive forms, and build longer sentences with clear clauses, for example, “As the moist air rises and cools, clouds form.”

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