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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow in a certain type of desert.

Overall, this process have seven steps. The key points for this formation are formation of clouds, rain fall at the peak of the mountain and the dry air which continoues over the mountain and reach at desert.

To begin with, the formation of clouds. the winds flow at the surface of sea contain moist and cools pushs the wind toward the peak of mountain and the moist and cools converts into a cloud and the rain falls at the peak of the mountain.

The dry air which is produced because of the rain continues flowing over the mountain and cross the thousand of kilometres area of mountain and reach at the inland area of desert and made its envirnoment cool and frash. It was noticed that the desert, mountain and sea are not far from each other where this type process happens.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a seven-step process and include its main stages: moist air rises, clouds form, rain falls on the mountain’s windward side, and drier air continues inland. This gives the reader a relevant outline. However, the account is only partly accurate and some key stages are underdeveloped: the winds’ approach from the sea and their upward movement against the mountain are not clearly explained. The claim that the desert environment becomes “cool and fresh” is not shown in the diagram, and the statement that the sea, mountain and desert are “not far from each other” conflicts with the scale indicating thousands of kilometres. A more complete, accurate overview and clearer description of the windward-to-leeward sequence would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by two paragraphs describing the process. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with” and “continues” help show that the stages occur in order. However, progression is sometimes awkward because the third paragraph begins with the fragment “To begin with, the formation of clouds,” and then combines several stages in one long sentence. The final paragraph also moves from dry air reaching inland to an unsupported comment about the desert’s environment and then to distance, so the focus becomes less clear. Use complete topic sentences and separate the windward stages from the leeward stages; clearer links between each step would make the organisation more consistently easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist,” “cloud,” “rain,” “dry air,” “mountain” and “inland,” so the basic subject is understandable. There are also attempts to describe movement with “flow,” “continues flowing” and “reach.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning unclear: “the winds … contain moist,” “pushs the wind,” and “made its envirnoment cool and frash.” Spelling errors such as “continoues” and “envirnoment” also reduce precision. Aim for accurate process collocations, such as “moist air is forced upwards” and “dry winds reach inland areas,” and avoid adding descriptions that the diagram does not support.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response generally conveys the broad sequence. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in the longer constructions. For example, “the winds flow … contain moist and cools pushs the wind” has unclear clause structure and problems with verb forms and agreement. Other errors include “this process have seven steps,” “the dry air … reach,” and the sentence fragment “To begin with, the formation of clouds.” Capitalisation after full stops is also inconsistent. Build accuracy first with clear subject–verb sentences, such as “Moist air rises as the wind is forced up the mountain.” Then connect stages with a small range of reliable clauses rather than joining many actions into one sentence.

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