Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09

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 diagram illustrates the mechanism by which rain-shadow deserts are formed.

The upward movement of winds from the sea-level upto the mountains top occurs on the windward side of the mountain. From the sea on one side of the highly peaked mountains, the winds approach to the coast where the sea comes across the base of the mountain area. The winds are gradually pushed upwards, where the air gets moist, rises up and becomes more cooler. This moist air then transforms into the bundles of clouds, which ultimately become the source of rainfall.

The downward movement of the dry air continues over the mountains from the Leeward side. These dry winds ultimately reach the inlands areas, where there is formation of rain-shadow desert area.

Overall, the formation of the rain-shadow deserts spreads across thousands of kilometer areas covered by the hilly mountains. To compare the winds on the sea side of mountains become more moist and cooler, whereas on the other side these get more dry to cover the deserts area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, from the windward side to the leeward side. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, the transition from moist air to rainfall is described simply as 'bundles of clouds', missing the opportunity to describe the cooling and condensation process more precisely. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the two sides of the mountain could be more analytical. The summary is accurate but lacks the depth required for a higher band, as it relies on a somewhat narrative approach rather than a technical summary of the diagram's data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs that follow the progression of the diagram. There is a clear introduction, body paragraphs for the two sides of the mountain, and an overview. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The upward movement', 'This moist air', and 'The downward movement', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the distinct stages of the process, contributing to an overall coherent structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'mechanism', and 'inland areas'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'highly peaked mountains' (instead of 'high mountain ranges') and 'becomes more cooler' (a grammatical error that also affects lexical precision). The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for higher bands. Some phrasing, like 'sea-level upto the mountains top', is slightly unnatural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'becomes more cooler' (double comparative), 'winds approach to the coast' (incorrect preposition), and 'thousands of kilometer areas' (incorrect pluralization). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. The control over punctuation and sentence structure is generally functional but lacks the precision and error-free nature of higher-level writing.

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.