Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-04

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)

This diagram illustrates the process of how winds coast from sea converted into rain shadow desert.

The winds approach coast travel thousand of miles and complete all the process after interacting with the mountains and finally reaches to the rain shadow desert.

The winds coming from the sea approaches to the coast and after crashing with the mountains ,they steadily moving upwards. Moist air rises and cools near the windward side and the air start transforming into clouds .On the top of the mountains the clouds starts raining, making the air more dry. In this half process the air becomes dry and steadily moving forward after reaching the mountains top the air then change their direction downward to their target.

the dry air then started to move downward from the mountains slowly and after some travelling the wind reaches to the leeward side. after short period of time, the wind finally reaches their destination.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main sequence from sea winds to a rain-shadow desert, including upward movement, cooling, cloud formation and rainfall on the windward side. This gives the response relevant coverage of the process. However, some key features are unclear or inaccurately described: the diagram says winds approach the coast, not that they travel “thousand of miles,” and it shows dry air continuing over the mountain before dry winds reach inland areas. The overview is also vague, and the final stages are not fully explained: “reaches their destination” does not explicitly identify the inland rain-shadow desert. To strengthen the report, summarise the overall cause-and-effect pattern, then describe the stages precisely, including the contrast between the rainy windward side and dry leeward side.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the broad order of the diagram, moving from winds approaching the coast to rainfall and then inland movement. The opening overview and the later description of the windward side help the reader recognise the process. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the movement toward the mountains and the later downward movement are described more than once, while the final destination is left implicit. Paragraphing is limited, and links such as “In this half process” and “after some travelling” do not clearly show the relationship between stages. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by a clearly sequenced account, using precise links such as “as a result,” “after crossing the peak,” and “finally.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use several relevant process terms, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “clouds,” “dry air,” and “leeward side,” which help communicate the diagram’s subject. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate or vague, such as “winds coast from sea converted,” “crashing with the mountains,” and “their target.” Repeated use of “reaches” and “moving” also reduces precision. Choose verbs that describe the stages more naturally: winds “approach” the coast, air “rises” and “cools,” and dry air “descends” or “continues inland.” Use the diagram’s label “rain-shadow desert” consistently rather than varying it or referring to the destination indirectly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence joined with “and” and a clause beginning “after reaching the mountains top.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors in agreement, tense, articles and sentence boundaries make parts difficult to follow. Examples include “the winds … approaches,” “the air start transforming,” and “the clouds starts raining”; these subjects require matching verb forms. Tense also shifts from “approach” and “rises” to “started,” while commas and spaces around punctuation are inconsistent. Practise describing a process consistently in the present simple, checking subject–verb agreement, and separating long sequences into complete sentences. This will make the stages easier to understand.

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

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