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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert. Overall, the process consists of several distinct stages. The process begins with the wind approaching the coast and ends with the formation of a rain-shadow desert in inland areas.

At the beginning, winds approach the coast and then are pushed upwards towards the windward side of the mountain. Following this, the air becomes moist and cool results in the formation of clouds. Afterwards, the rain falls on the windward side of the mountain.

Subsequently, on the leeward side of the mountain, dry air continues to blow. In the final stage, dry winds reach the inland areas that result in the formation of the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the summary covers the main stages of the process, the brevity prevents a fully developed overview. The description is accurate but lacks the necessary detail and depth expected for an Academic Task 1 response. To improve, you must expand on the descriptions of the stages, perhaps by mentioning the specific characteristics of the air (e.g., moisture levels) or the physical changes occurring at each elevation, to ensure the response is sufficiently comprehensive and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, following the chronological order of the process. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'At the beginning', 'Following this', 'Afterwards', and 'Subsequently' to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is somewhat limited due to the short length of the text. The flow is generally clear, but the transition between the windward and leeward sides could be more sophisticated. To improve, ensure that each stage of the process is clearly linked to the next with a wider variety of cohesive markers to create a more natural and fluid progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist', and 'inland areas' being appropriate for the subject matter. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simple phrasing. For instance, 'results in the formation of' is repeated. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to meteorological processes and avoid repetitive sentence structures. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help demonstrate a more sophisticated control of language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'the air becomes moist and cool results in', which is a run-on or incorrectly structured clause. Another example is 'dry winds reach the inland areas that result in', where the relative clause usage is slightly awkward. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they indicate a need for better control over complex sentence construction. Focus on ensuring that your subjects and verbs agree and that your clauses are correctly connected.

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

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