Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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 a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, a rain-shadow desert is formed is a seven steps process. It includes, wind approach coast, wind pushed upwards, moist air rises and cools, clouds form, rain falls, dry air continues over mountain, and dry winds reach inland areas. The process happens on the two sides of the mountains, which are the windward side and the leeward side. Here, the formation process continues from the coast to the inland, in between there is mountains, and the distance among them is thousands of kilometers.

At the start, in windward side of the mountains, the winds approach to the coast. Then, the winds pushed upwards along with the mountains' wall. Eventually, the moist air rises and it cools down. Afterwards, white clouds are formed. Then, the cloud gets concentrated into black clouds and rain falls at the top of the mountains.

At this point, in the leeward side of the mountains, dry air flows over the mountains. Subsequently, dry winds reach the inland areas. Finally, rain-shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow desert formation. You have successfully distinguished between the windward and leeward sides, which is crucial for this task. However, the overview is slightly mechanical, listing the steps rather than synthesizing the process into a cohesive summary. While all parts of the task are addressed, the description of the process could be more analytical by focusing on the causal relationship between moisture loss and the resulting arid conditions on the leeward side, rather than just listing the steps provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, moving from an overview to the windward side and then the leeward side. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'At the start', 'Subsequently', and 'At this point' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive or mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the sentence 'in between there is mountains' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and paragraphing is used effectively to separate the distinct stages of the process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'inland areas' correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'seven steps process' (should be 'seven-step process') and 'the cloud gets concentrated' (which is a bit simplistic). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise scientific or descriptive vocabulary related to meteorological processes, such as 'precipitation', 'condensation', or 'arid conditions', to show greater flexibility and precision in your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'a rain-shadow desert is formed is a seven steps process' contains a redundant verb, and 'the winds pushed upwards' is missing an auxiliary verb ('are pushed'). Additionally, 'there is mountains' should be 'there are mountains'. These errors occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice in process descriptions will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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