Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19

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 deserts.

Overall , the process consists of seven steps begins from winds approach coast and culminating at the formation of the rain-shadow desert. The mountain has two sides windward side and leeward side. The distance from coast to rain-shadow desert is thousands of kilometers.

To begin with on the windward side ,winds reached coast of the sea which is the first step of the process, followed by pushing winds in the upward direction . .After that the level of moist air increases followed by cooling down the air near windward side .In the next step there is a formation of clouds which results in the heavy rainfall on the top of the mountain.

To move further, after rainfall ,the dry air continues to flow over the leeward side of mountain . Finally the dry winds reaches an inland areas which results in the formation of rain-shadow desert at the bottom of the mountain

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, from the initial wind movement to the formation of the desert. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, integrated overview of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides. While the key features are identified, the explanation of the 'rain-shadow' effect—specifically why the air becomes dry—is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you should focus on explaining the 'why' behind the process (e.g., moisture loss during ascent) rather than just listing the steps. The inclusion of the distance is a good detail, but ensure the connection between the mountain's geography and the resulting climate is more explicitly linked.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'After that', and 'Finally' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and punctuation errors, such as the double periods after 'upward direction'. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the windward side and the leeward side could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring punctuation is accurate would significantly enhance the readability and cohesion of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'inland areas'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'winds reached coast' should be 'winds reach the coast', and 'results in the formation of' is repeated, which makes the writing feel a bit repetitive. To improve, try to use more precise verbs and avoid repeating the same sentence structures. Expanding your vocabulary to include more descriptive terms for meteorological processes would help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the coast', 'the mountain') and verb tense consistency (e.g., 'winds reached' vs 'winds reaches'). There are also punctuation issues, such as unnecessary spaces before commas and incorrect sentence termination. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage throughout the report will help you improve your accuracy.

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

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