Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-18

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 given diagram outlines the stages of one category of desert, called as rain-shadow desert is established.

Overall, it is a linear process of seven steps starting from winds approach coast and ending with dry winds reach inland areas. The whole process takes place above thousands kilometers of the mountains including region in particular sea, deep down coast, mountains and lastly inland where this specific region is formed.

As it is noticed from the illustration that the procedure continues when the wind approach coast and in return winds pushed upwards. Moreover, moist air starts to raise and cools as it reaches higher near the windward side consequently clouds are started to form and rain commences from the thousands of kilometers of mountains to ground. Ultimately, by returning to leeward side dry air continues moving over mountain and dry winds reached inland areas and as a result rain shadow desert is created.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the resulting desert formation. However, the overview is somewhat confusing, particularly the claim that the process takes place over 'thousands kilometers of the mountains,' which is an inaccurate interpretation of the diagram. While the main features are reported, the description lacks precision in explaining the causal link between the cooling of air and the precipitation. The summary is functional but could be more clearly articulated to ensure the reader fully understands the mechanism of the rain-shadow effect.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into an introduction and two body paragraphs, which provides a logical structure. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'consequently,' and 'ultimately' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'in return winds pushed upwards.' The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. Paragraphing is present, but the internal cohesion within the second paragraph is somewhat repetitive in its phrasing, which slightly hinders the overall progression of the explanation.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'called as rain-shadow desert is established' and 'winds approach coast.' The use of 'thousands of kilometers of mountains' is a lexical inaccuracy that misrepresents the scale shown in the diagram. While the student attempts to use topic-specific terms like 'windward' and 'leeward,' the overall range is limited, and the word choices often feel repetitive or slightly unnatural in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the wind approach coast' (subject-verb agreement), 'clouds are started to form' (passive voice misuse), and 'dry winds reached inland areas' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction is often clunky. While the meaning is usually retrievable, the high frequency of minor errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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