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)

From the giving diagram, we clearly see how the rain shadow deserts are formed naturally.

Firstly, when the winds blow all over the sea coast

it goes upwards forcefully, while going upwards the air gets the moist and it eventually turns into cool air. With the help of the winds that cames straight from the sea coast to the uphill that becames moist and cool the clouds forms. As the density of the clouds increasing apparently the rains start to fall.This was the part where the elevated process seen in the diagram.

After the rainfall, the wind dried up but continues to blow all over the mountains.Here, the Wind gradually starts to come downwards to the inland areas.As soon as the dried wind accumulates at the inland areas that becomes the rain shadow desert at that areas.

The main process for the formation of these rain shadow desert are the rainfall and the wind that becomes dry.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You describe the main sequence: winds arrive from the sea, rise and cool, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air moves inland to create the desert. This is relevant and gives the reader a basic account of the process. However, the overview is limited: the final sentence identifies rainfall and drying winds as causes but does not clearly summarise the contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward inland area. Some details are also unclear or imprecise, such as saying the wind “dried up” after rainfall and that dry wind “accumulates” to become the desert. Explain that air descends on the leeward side and brings little moisture to inland areas to make the process more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally understandable order, moving from the sea and mountain ascent to rainfall and then inland conditions. The paragraph break also separates the rising-air stage from what happens after the rain. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “After the rainfall,” and “As soon as” help guide the reader. At times, however, connections are mechanical or unclear: “This was the part where the elevated process seen in the diagram” does not clearly link to the preceding explanation, and “Here” has an uncertain reference. The final sentence repeats the main causes rather than providing a distinct concluding overview. Use clearer stage-to-stage links and organise the description into a concise introduction, overview, and process details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “moist,” “clouds,” “rainfall,” “mountains,” and “inland areas,” so the basic subject is clear. There are also attempts at more descriptive wording, such as “forcefully” and “accumulates,” but some choices are inaccurate or unnatural in this context. For example, winds do not “blow all over the sea coast,” and “the wind dried up” is not a natural way to describe air losing moisture. Repetition of “wind,” “rain,” and “areas” also limits precision. Build a more accurate set of process terms—such as “moist air,” “ascend,” “condense,” “descend,” and “leeward”—and use them consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence linked with “while” and a conditional time clause beginning “As soon as.” However, complex sentences are often difficult to control, and errors sometimes obscure the relationships between stages. Examples include “it goes upwards forcefully” after the plural subject “winds,” “the clouds forms,” and “the rain shadow desert at that areas.” Verb forms and agreement are also faulty in “the winds that cames” and “the uphill that becames.” Punctuation is inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops and a comma splice in the opening process description. Aim for shorter, controlled sentences first, checking subject–verb agreement, articles, plurals, and sentence boundaries.

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

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