Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-03

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 a type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the winds from the sea travels a large distance to reach the inland where rain-shadow desert gets formed. The air moves from the sea upwards the mountain to reach its peak, from where it moves downwards to reach the land.

Initially, the winds approach the sea coast where the air turns moist and is pushed upwards on the windward side. While travelling towards the top of the mountain, the air turns cooler and converts into cloud form. After that, the clouds cause rain falls at the mountain.

Afterwards the rainfall, air turns dry and continues to move downhill from the leeward side. Finishing a distance of thousands of kilometer, the winds reach the inland areas. Henceforth, the whole procedure reaches to an end where rain-shadow desert gets created.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process and give a basic overview of air moving from the sea over the mountains before reaching inland, then describe the main stages: upward movement, cooling, cloud formation, rainfall and dry air continuing down the leeward side. However, some details are imprecise: the winds approach the coast from the sea, rather than “approach the sea coast,” and the diagram shows rain falling on the windward side, not simply “at the mountain.” The final stage is mentioned, but the explanation of how this creates a rain-shadow desert remains brief. The response is also below the required 150 words, which limits the detail available to report the process fully. Add a little more precise explanation of the windward/leeward contrast and the inland desert’s formation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by stages in chronological order, with paragraph breaks that help separate the process. Sequencing expressions such as “Initially,” “After that,” and “Afterwards” make the order generally easy to follow. However, some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “Afterwards the rainfall” and “Henceforth, the whole procedure reaches to an end,” which do not connect the ideas naturally. The overview also repeats information about the air moving over the mountain that is explained again in the body. To improve progression, use fewer formulaic transitions and make each sentence clearly lead to the next stage, while keeping the overview focused on the overall cause-and-effect pattern.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist,” “rainfall,” and “inland areas,” so the reader can follow the subject. There is some variation in how you describe movement, such as “pushed upwards” and “move downhill.” However, several word choices and collocations are unnatural or imprecise: “converts into cloud form,” “the clouds cause rain falls,” and “Finishing a distance” do not express the stages idiomatically. “The whole procedure reaches to an end” is also unnecessarily wordy. Aim for standard process language and accurate collocations, for example, air “cools and condenses,” rain “falls,” and dry air “travels inland.” This would make the description clearer and more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “from where it moves downwards” and a time clause beginning “While travelling towards the top.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, but errors in agreement and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “the winds from the sea travels” has a plural subject with a singular verb, while “the clouds cause rain falls” combines verb forms incorrectly. “Afterwards the rainfall” is not a complete grammatical clause, and “where rain-shadow desert gets formed” needs an article. Review subject–verb agreement, articles, and the structure of clauses after time and sequence expressions. More consistently accurate sentences would help you describe the stages without distracting errors.

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

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