Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-07-31

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 7.5)

The illustration shows how the formation of rain-shadow desert occurs.

Overall, the process occurs over a large geographical area before these deserts are formed; several other geographical factors such as mountains and coastal winds are also involved.

Foremost, the winds forming above the sea approach the coast. As it reaches the land it is met with tall mountains and climbs upwards. As the air moves further above sea level, the humid air is cooled down due to low temperature on the windward side of the mountain. Then this cool air turns into clouds and eventually rain falls. The rain falls on the windward side of the mountain.

However, the dry air which did not form into clouds moves to the other side crossing the summit. It reaches the leeward side and travels downward. The direction of these dry winds is towards inland regions. These dry winds travelling inwards form rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response successfully covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process. You have identified the key features, such as the movement of moist air from the sea, the orographic lift over the mountains, and the resulting dry conditions on the leeward side. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention the contrast between the windward and leeward sides more directly in your summary, as this is the defining characteristic of the process. Overall, the information is accurate and well-selected, meeting the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear progression from the initial movement of air to the final formation of the desert. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction, the windward process, and the leeward process. You use cohesive devices such as 'As', 'Then', 'However', and 'As it reaches' to link ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. For instance, using more varied linking phrases between the two sides of the mountain would enhance the logical flow and make the comparison more explicit.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including terms like 'geographical area', 'humid air', 'windward', and 'leeward'. These terms are appropriate for the context of a scientific process. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choice is generally accurate. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations to describe the movement of air and the intensity of the weather conditions. For example, instead of 'moves to the other side', you could use 'descends the leeward slope', which demonstrates a more sophisticated command of the subject matter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'As the air moves further above sea level...' and 'As it reaches the land...'. While there are occasional minor errors, such as 'the formation of rain-shadow desert occurs' (which should be 'a rain-shadow desert'), these do not impede communication. The grammar is generally accurate, and the punctuation is handled well. To achieve a higher score, aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice constructions, which are often useful when describing scientific or technical processes.

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