Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-02

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 that how a desert also called rain-shadow desert is manufactured. Overall, it formed after seven steps beside sea and mountain of thousands of kilometers.

By closely observing the diagram, we can see that the first step to desert is the wind through sea. The wind through the sea approaches the coast then the wind is pushed upward through the mountain. The wind moist the air there and escalate the cools which results in the formation of clouds. Then the clouds burst and the rain falls. The dry air continues over the mountains to leeward side that and comes downward to the mountains and then the dry air reaches to inland areas. This results in the formation rain-shadow dessert.

All this way is of thousands of kilometers. It takes seven steps to form the rain-shadow from sea to mountain and from mountain to inland areas which results in desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence and give an overall account, noting that the process has seven steps and ends with a desert inland. The description correctly includes winds approaching the coast, rising over the mountains, cloud formation and rainfall on the windward side, followed by dry air moving towards inland areas. However, some stages are not fully or accurately explained: “the wind moist the air there” reverses the relationship, since moist air rises and cools, and the account does not clearly distinguish the windward and leeward sides. The statement that the process is “beside sea and mountain of thousands of kilometers” also misrepresents the scale label, which indicates horizontal distance. Clarifying these details and presenting the overview more precisely would make the key features more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the process in a broadly logical order, and sequencing words such as “first,” “then” and “then” help the reader track the stages. The paragraphing also separates the opening overview from the detailed account. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the final paragraph repeats that there are seven steps and that the process extends from the sea to inland areas without adding much information. Some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “the dry air continues over the mountains to leeward side that and comes downward.” Use clearer sentence boundaries and refer to each stage directly, rather than repeating the sequence in a concluding paragraph. This would make the organisation more controlled and the connections between ideas easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “coast,” “mountain,” “clouds,” “rain falls,” “dry air” and “inland areas,” so the topic is generally understandable. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “leeward side.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “manufactured” is not suitable for a naturally formed desert, “the wind moist the air” does not express the diagram’s process, and “clouds burst” is less precise than saying that rain falls. “Dessert” is also a spelling error for “desert.” Aim for accurate process collocations and avoid repeating “wind” and “dry air” where a clear pronoun or more precise term would work.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence joined with “then,” and the main stages can usually be understood. However, grammatical control is uneven, especially in complex constructions. The opening phrase “illustrates that how” combines two incompatible patterns; write either “illustrates how” or “shows that.” In “the wind is pushed upward through the mountain,” the passive construction is awkward for describing the process, while “the dry air continues over the mountains to leeward side that and comes downward” has faulty clause structure and missing grammatical links. There are also article and agreement problems in phrases such as “the formation rain-shadow dessert.” Use shorter, complete sentences and check clause structure, articles and verb forms.

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

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