Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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 6.5)

The given diagram illustrates the process regarding the formation of a certain rain-shadow desert.

Overall, it is clear that the process consists of seven main stages, commencing with airs approaching the coast from the sea and culminating in dry winds reaching inland areas, where a rain-shadow desert is formed. It is a linear process involving several stages involving transformation.

At the initial stage, winds get moisturized from the sea before approaching the coast and are pushed upwards along the mountain's windward side. Once this stage has been completed, the moist air rises and cools, which converts into clouds that leading to rain on top of the mountain. Following this, the remaining dry air continues over the peak of the mountain and goes down the mountain's leeward side. Ultimately, the dry winds reach the inland areas, where a rain-shadow desert is located thousands of kilometers away from the coast, is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process. You have provided a clear overview and followed the sequence of events from the sea to the inland desert. The information is accurate and covers the key features of the diagram. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention the specific geographical features shown in the diagram, such as the 'prevailing winds' or the 'mountain range' by name if provided, to demonstrate a more thorough analysis of the visual data. Overall, the task is addressed well, and the main features are clearly reported.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological order of the process. You have used cohesive devices such as 'At the initial stage', 'Once this stage has been completed', and 'Ultimately' to guide the reader through the stages. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed description. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the stages is easy to follow. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some sentence structures could be tightened to improve flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, such as 'culminating', 'moisturized', and 'transformation'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'airs' (which should be 'air' as it is an uncountable noun in this context) and 'gets moisturized' (which is slightly unnatural; 'gathers moisture' or 'becomes saturated' would be better). However, these errors do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more precise scientific or geographical terminology related to the process to demonstrate a wider and more sophisticated lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'which converts into clouds that leading to rain' (should be 'which leads to rain' or 'leading to rain') and the slightly awkward phrasing in the final sentence: 'where a rain-shadow desert is located... is formed'. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout. You have a good grasp of sentence construction, but you should focus on ensuring that relative clauses and verb forms are used with greater precision to minimize these occasional errors.

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

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