Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-01

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 6.5)

The diagram represents that how a rain-shadow desert is situated and there is detail information of the process is given.

It can seen from the picture that the step starts with winds approach coast which is comes from upper level from sea and then it pushed upwards direction when moist air rises and cools. When reached this stage, the air takes cloud form in windward side of mountains and after on highest level, it started falling rain over the surface.

After completion of all this, dry air continues over mountain towards down side where leeward side is there. In final step, dry winds reach inland areas on surface of inland which is called rain-shadow desert. Meanwhile, The mountain is spread in thousand of kilometers in the bottom of earth between sea and inland.

Overall, the entire process has seven initial stages which starts with coast and end from dry winds on inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, from the initial wind movement to the formation of the rain-shadow desert. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks the precision required for a higher band. For example, the mention of 'seven initial stages' is not clearly supported by the actual content of the text, which describes the process more generally. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the windward and leeward sides could be more explicitly developed to better highlight the contrast in environmental conditions. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to summarize the key transformation described in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'After completion of all this', 'In final step', and 'Meanwhile' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'When reached this stage'. The flow between sentences is generally coherent, but the connection between the physical description of the mountain and the climatic process could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'detail information of the process is given' and 'mountain is spread in thousand of kilometers'. The student relies on basic terminology like 'upper level' and 'bottom of earth' rather than more accurate geographical or meteorological terms. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and occasional errors in word choice limit the score. Expanding the range of descriptive verbs and nouns related to climate and geography would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'The diagram represents that how a rain-shadow desert is situated', 'winds approach coast which is comes from', and 'it started falling rain'. These errors involve issues with article usage, subject-verb agreement, and tense consistency. While the reader can understand the intended meaning, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. More attention to basic sentence construction and proofreading for grammatical accuracy is needed.

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