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 depicts the process of the formation of rain-shadow deserts. Overall it is clear that formation start from the wind approach coast through which clouds form rain falls on mountain and other side dry air and dry winds play main role in the formation of rain-shadow desert called Inland.

The mountain is thousands of kilometer wide where as left side coast adjacent to the sea. Winds approach coast start from over the sea that wind pushed to upward direction of the mountain from that moist air rises and cools down which form clouds. Rain will falls from that clouds on mountain. However some dry air continues over mountain, there were two sides of mountain left side called windward side through which cloud form and another side is known as leeward side where dry air pass after that it convert in to dry wind and it spread in inland area that area is under the left side of mountain known as rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and your overview identifies the contrast between the rainy windward side and the dry inland area. Details such as moist air rising and cooling, cloud formation, rainfall, and dry air continuing over the mountain are relevant and broadly match the diagram. However, some points are unclear or imprecise: “the mountain is thousands of kilometer wide” misrepresents the scale label, which indicates a distance of thousands of kilometres across the diagram, not the mountain’s width. The final location is also confused when you call the desert “under the left side” of the mountain; it is inland beyond the leeward side. Clarifying these positions and explaining the stages more precisely would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introductory overview followed by a paragraph describing the process. The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “However,” and “after that” help signal relationships. However, progression is sometimes difficult to follow because several stages are compressed into long sentences, especially the second paragraph. The reference in “that area is under the left side of mountain” is unclear and conflicts with the earlier description of the leeward side. Some linking is also mechanical, with repeated use of “that” and “after that.” Use shorter, clearly sequenced sentences and refer explicitly to the windward side, leeward side, and inland area to improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “rain,” “dry air,” “windward side,” and “leeward side.” These terms show awareness of the diagram’s subject, and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, several inaccurate or awkward choices that reduce precision: “mountain is thousands of kilometer wide” misuses the scale information, “rain will falls” is not a natural expression, and “it convert in to dry wind” is imprecise. Some wording is repetitive, particularly “dry air” and “dry winds.” Aim for more accurate process collocations, such as air “is forced upwards,” “cools and condenses,” and “descends on the leeward side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the mountain from that moist air rises and cools down” and a contrast introduced by “However.” This shows some range, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are evident. For example, “formation start” needs subject–verb agreement, “rain will falls” combines incompatible verb forms, and “it convert” needs a singular verb form. The long sentence beginning “However some dry air continues” also joins several stages without clear grammatical boundaries, making the relationships harder to follow. Practise forming accurate present-simple passive descriptions, such as “the winds are forced upwards” and “rain falls on the windward side,” and divide complex sequences into controlled sentences.

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