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 how rain-shadow desert is formed, thorough the movement of air across the range of mountains. It has seven stages begins from the ocean area towards height of the mountains to Inland.

Initially, from the sea side where winds approach coast slightly pushed upwards along with moist in the air as they encounter the mountains. At the windward side, cloud formation arises which becomes the reason of rain fall at the peak of mountains and the extraction of the excess water.

Right after the rain fall on top of mountains, the remaining air coverts into dry air while gradually lower over the mountains specifically at the leeward side. Although dry winds reach inland areas at the ground level in terms of rain-shadow desert.

In conclusion, the diagram highlights the formation of rain-shadow deserts with the collision of air flow in different stages of mountain range towards Inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process and include several key stages: winds approach from the sea, rise on the windward side, rain falls near the mountains, and dry winds continue inland to the desert. However, some stages are unclear or inaccurately described. The diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form; your account says clouds arise at the windward side but does not clearly explain this cooling. “Extraction of the excess water” is not a stated stage, and the conclusion focuses generally on air collision rather than summarising the contrast between the rainy windward side and dry leeward inland area. The response is also one word below the required minimum. Add a clearer overview and explain the sequence more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable progression, using “Initially,” “Right after,” and “In conclusion,” and its paragraphs broadly separate the early and later stages. This gives the reader a general sense of the process. However, some links are awkward or unclear: “Although dry winds reach inland areas” does not connect grammatically to the preceding sentence, and “It has seven stages begins” makes the opening difficult to follow. The final sentence repeats the general topic rather than bringing the stages together. Improve progression by presenting the stages in order with clear links such as “As a result” and “After precipitation,” and use a concise overview to establish the windward-to-leeward contrast.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps convey the topic. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “gradually lower” and “excess water,” but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural and make the meaning less precise. For example, “extraction of the excess water” does not describe the diagram’s rainfall, while “air coverts into dry air” is not a natural way to express the change. “Rain fall” should be written as the noun “rainfall” or the phrase “rain falls,” depending on the sentence. Build accuracy by choosing standard process collocations such as “the air loses moisture” and “dry air descends.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex structures, including “as they encounter the mountains” and “while gradually lower over the mountains.” However, errors are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. The opening has a faulty construction in “It has seven stages begins,” and “where winds approach coast slightly pushed upwards” lacks a clear subject and finite verb. In “the remaining air coverts into dry air while gradually lower,” the verb forms and clause structure are not controlled. Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “at the ground level in terms of rain-shadow desert.” Practise forming complete clauses with an explicit subject and verb, and check agreement, articles, and punctuation before finishing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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