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 the process of how rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, the process started from one part of the mountain adjacents to sea to rain falls over the mountain and finally flowing over to the inland areas after covering thousands of kilometres distance.

The process started with the sea as winds approach coast of mountain. Winds pushed upwards and that lead to the moist air to rise and get cool afterwards. Later, clouds form at the near top part of the mountain. After floating and reaching at the peak of the mountain cloud rain started to fall. After the rain falls, dry air continues to flow over the mountain to downwards. This process lead to the eventual process of dry winds which reach inland areas and desert get formed ,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a process and include its main sequence: coastal winds rise, moisture cools, clouds and rain form over the mountains, and dry air continues inland. However, the overview is unclear and does not clearly explain the key contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward side where the desert forms. Some details are also imprecise: “rain falls over the mountain” is less accurate than specifying the windward side, and the response does not clearly state that the rain-shadow desert lies inland beyond the leeward side. The description is under-developed and does not meet the 150-word minimum, which limits coverage of the stages and their relationships. Add a clearer overview and explain the final desert-forming effect.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening, an overview, and a chronological description. Sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “The process started,” “Later,” and “After” help the reader follow the stages. However, the overview repeats the sequence rather than summarising the main pattern, and some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “finally flowing over to the inland areas after covering thousands of kilometres distance.” The final sentence also combines several ideas without a clear boundary, ending with a comma. Use paragraphing to separate the overview from the detailed stages, and make each transition show the relationship between cause and result more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “dry air,” “inland areas,” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the topic remains understandable. There is also some attempt at more specific language, such as “peak” and “coast.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “mountain adjacents to sea,” “cloud rain started to fall,” and “desert get formed” do not express the intended ideas fluently. “Flowing over” is also vague for describing air movement. Aim for precise geographical terms and natural process collocations, such as “the windward slope,” “precipitation,” and “the desert develops.” Check word forms and use “rain-shadow desert” consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex structures, including the overview clause “after covering thousands of kilometres” and the sequence of events linked with “after.” The main stages can generally be understood, but some grammatical errors make relationships less clear. For example, “winds approach coast of mountain” is missing articles, while “that lead to the moist air to rise” has an incorrect verb form and construction. In “dry air continues to flow over the mountain to downwards,” the final phrase is not grammatically formed. There are also tense and agreement problems in “This process lead” and “desert get formed.” Use consistent present simple for a process diagram, check subject–verb agreement, and revise sentence boundaries and punctuation.

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