Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-10

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 6.0)

The provided diagram illustrates the process how a rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, it can be seen that there are 7 different stages that are involved in the formation of rain-shadow desert begin from winds approching coast and ends at inland.

The water vapors that formed above sea after evporation carried by winds approaching the coast, the due to barrier of mountains these winds pushed upward. As the moist air rises and it temperature droped. Furthermore, at certain height moist air transformed into clouds, and continue rising along windward side of mountains.

Moreover, these clouds gathered and droped the excess moisture in the form of rain, due to low temperature rain turns into snow and accommulate on the top of mountains. Then air becomes dry and continue to move over the peaks to leeward side. During this process winds travels thousands of kilometers and dry winds reached the inland areas. Finally, the area become rainless and formed a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching inland, and your overview identifies the process as a series of stages. The explanation of rising, cooling air, cloud formation, rainfall, and the mountain barrier is relevant and mostly consistent with the diagram. However, some details are added rather than shown: evaporation and water vapour above the sea, rain turning to snow, and snow accumulating on the peaks are not indicated. The overview could also state the key contrast more clearly: moisture falls on the windward side, leaving dry air to cross the mountains and create a desert on the leeward side. This gives a sound account, though some features are less fully and accurately reported than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a clear sequence, with an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the stages. Linking expressions such as “As,” “Furthermore,” “Moreover,” and “Then” help the reader follow the process from coast to inland. The overall progression is coherent, but some connections are awkward or unclear. For example, “the due to barrier of mountains” interrupts the relationship between the winds and their upward movement, while “During this process” does not specify which part of the process is meant. The repeated use of additive transitions also makes the links somewhat mechanical. Use more precise references and connect each cause to its result directly to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” “excess moisture,” and “rain-shadow desert.” These terms help communicate the diagram’s subject, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, several spelling errors—such as “approching,” “evporation,” “droped,” and “accommulate”—reduce accuracy. Some word combinations are also imprecise: “winds travels thousands of kilometers” is not a natural way to describe the diagram’s scale, and “the area become rainless” is less precise than describing the formation of a desert. Aim for accurate spelling and conventional process collocations, while retaining the useful technical vocabulary you already use.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a time clause in “As the moist air rises” and a sequence of linked process stages. However, grammatical control is uneven, and errors recur in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “the process how” needs a different clause structure, “the due to barrier” is malformed, and “winds travels” has a subject–verb agreement error. Several sentences also omit necessary verbs or articles, as in “The water vapors … carried by winds” and “the area become rainless.” These problems sometimes make relationships harder to follow. Practise complete clause structures and consistent present-tense forms for describing processes.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.