Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 pictorial representation demonstrates the data related to several steps involved in formation of rain shadow deserts.

Overall, picture depicts two sides of mountain windward and leeward. moreover, 7 steps are involved in the formation of rain shadow desert which begins though sea and last at inland where dry wind reaches. distance between both sides is thousands of kilometers.

firstly from sea winds approaches towards coast. afterwards, wind pushed upward toward the mountains where moist air rises and get cool down by reaching high altitude. furthermore, when moist air cools down formation of clouds begins and then rainfall starts toward the windward side of mountain. when rain starts at windward side the dry air from there will continues over mountain and dry wind will reach towards inland areas. moreover, this cause dryness and humidity toward leeward side and lead to formation of rain shadow desert. this process involves 7 steps

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the two sides of the mountain and the progression of the process. However, the description is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the final paragraph where the steps are summarized rather than explained in detail. While the key stages (moist air rising, cooling, precipitation, and the resulting dry air) are mentioned, the explanation lacks the precision required for a higher band. The mention of '7 steps' is a bit mechanical and does not add significant value to the analysis of the process itself. To improve, focus on describing the causal links between the stages more fluidly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. While there is a logical progression, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'furthermore', 'moreover', 'firstly'). The transition between the overview and the body paragraph is abrupt. Paragraphing is present, but the body paragraph is quite dense and would benefit from being split to separate the initial stages from the final outcome. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better sentence integration.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'pictorial representation demonstrates the data' (the diagram shows a process, not data) and 'wind pushed upward'. The repetition of words like 'dry' and 'wind' limits the range. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to geography and meteorology, such as 'prevailing winds', 'orographic lift', or 'arid conditions'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the word choices are often basic and do not demonstrate a sophisticated command of the language.

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 affect the quality of the writing. Issues include missing articles ('from sea', 'toward mountains'), subject-verb agreement errors ('wind will continues'), and awkward phrasing ('which begins though sea'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking proper capitalization and others missing commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for articles and verb endings would significantly improve the accuracy.

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

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