Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04

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 stages involved in the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, the process follows a linear, multi-stage sequence that begins with winds from sea, which approach coastal area, and ends with dry winds reaching inland areas to form a rain-shadow desert. During these stages, the air pushed upwards, cooled, formed clouds, and after being transformed into rain falls, continues over mountain.

In the initial stages, winds, which come from the sea, approach the coastal area, then pushed upwards to be cooled at the next juncture. Once the winds have been cooled and most air risen, it begins to form clouds, which will be converted into rain falls. All of these stages have been implemented on the Windward side.

Afterwards, dry air continues over mountain on the Leeward side, and goes down. After the foot of the mountain has been reached by dry winds, they start to form a rain-shadow desert. The total distance that has been covered is thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation process. You have clearly distinguished between the Windward and Leeward sides and described the sequence of events, such as the cooling of air and the formation of clouds. However, the description is somewhat repetitive, and the explanation of the process could be more precise. For instance, stating 'all of these stages have been implemented' is slightly unnatural in this context, as these are natural phenomena rather than human-led implementations. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the moisture loss and the resulting dry air is more explicitly linked to the geographical features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, a body paragraph covering the Windward side, and a final paragraph for the Leeward side. The progression of ideas is generally clear. You use some cohesive devices like 'In the initial stages', 'Afterwards', and 'Once', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally slightly awkward, such as 'All of these stages have been implemented'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the process, including terms like 'linear', 'multi-stage', 'coastal area', and 'Leeward side'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'rain falls' is not the standard term for precipitation in this context, and 'at the next juncture' is slightly misused. Additionally, 'most air risen' is grammatically and lexically awkward. To improve, focus on using more precise scientific terminology and ensuring that your word choices sound natural in a formal, descriptive report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use relative clauses ('winds, which come from the sea'), there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'the air pushed upwards' lacks an auxiliary verb, and 'goes down' is a bit simplistic. There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency, such as 'the foot of the mountain has been reached by dry winds'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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