Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12

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 provided diagram illustrates the process of the formation of a desert, called a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the whole creation of the desert goes through multiple stages starting from moist air approaching the coast on the windward side from the sea to dry wind decending the mountain on the leeward side in the inland regions where the desert is created. A rain-shadow desert is formed thousands of kilometres away from the sea.

Initially, the winds approaches the coast and forces upwards where moist air increases and cools subsequently forming clouds out of the cold air. This in turn causes rain on the windward side of the mountains.

In the following stages, dry air flows on the leeward side of the mountains, which decends the mountains and reaches the inland areas, creating a dry circumstance known as a rain-shadow desert, thousands of kilometres opposite of the sea. The desert is formed on the leeward side, at the bottom of a mountain which is mostly dry whereas the windward side includes the sea and is mostly moisty.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation process. You have clearly distinguished between the windward and leeward sides and described the sequence of events from moist air rising to dry air descending. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. To reach a higher band, ensure that you avoid minor inaccuracies, such as stating the desert is formed 'thousands of kilometres away from the sea' as a general rule, when the diagram specifically illustrates the process occurring across a mountain range. Overall, the task is well-addressed with a logical progression of information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'In the following stages', and 'This in turn' to guide the reader through the process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial stages from the final outcome. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. The referencing is clear, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist', and 'descending'. However, there are some word-choice errors and non-standard collocations, such as 'dry circumstance' and 'moisty', which is not a standard English adjective. While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and avoiding the invention of words. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise scientific or descriptive terms would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the winds approaches' (subject-verb agreement), 'forces upwards' (missing object), and 'decending' (spelling error). Additionally, 'thousands of kilometres opposite of the sea' is slightly awkward phrasing. While you attempt complex structures, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the writing from being consistently accurate. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for spelling will help improve your accuracy and allow your complex sentence structures to be more effective.

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.