Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16

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 picture illustrates about a type of desert, referred as rains-shadow desert, is created naturally.

Overall, there are 7 stages to this process which starts at winds approaching the sea and ends at the dry winds flowing towards inland.

The process starts over a sea where the winds reach the coast and are naturally directed towards the peak of the mountain at the windward side. The humid air starts to cool down as it rises later the formation of clouds start. During this process the air is moving in the direction of the peak of the mountain and later clouds cross to the other side of the mountain.

As the clouds move to the other side step 5 is taking place where the precipitation happens. when they are at the leeward side the dry air starts to decline from the mountain as its directed away and after that the dry wind reaches the inland which creates a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features 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 area. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, relying on a step-by-step listing (e.g., 'step 5 is taking place') rather than a more integrated, analytical summary. To reach a higher band, ensure you synthesize the information more fluidly and avoid simply narrating the diagram as a list of steps. The key stages are covered, but the explanation of the meteorological principles—such as the cooling of air and the rain-shadow effect—could be more precisely articulated to demonstrate a fuller understanding of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, moving from the sea to the mountain and finally to the inland area. Paragraphing is present, though the second paragraph is quite long and could benefit from being split to separate the windward and leeward processes. You use some cohesive devices like 'during this process' and 'as the clouds move', but the flow is occasionally interrupted by repetitive sentence structures. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the stages could be smoother to improve the overall progression of the text. Using a wider variety of linking words would help connect the ideas more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'precipitation', 'humid', and 'leeward' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'referred as rains-shadow desert' (should be 'referred to as a rain-shadow desert') and 'winds approaching the sea' (which is factually confusing in the context of the diagram). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to geography and climate, such as 'moisture-laden', 'orographic lift', or 'arid conditions'. The current vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'The picture illustrates about a type of desert' is incorrect (it should be 'illustrates a type of desert'), and 'later the formation of clouds start' lacks proper tense and structure. There are also issues with punctuation and article usage, such as 'winds approaching the sea'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they indicate a need for more consistent control over complex sentence forms and basic grammatical accuracy.

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

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