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)

This pictorial presentation shows bit by bit formation of a rain-shadow desert on leeward side, spanning over thousands of kilometers, involving seven main stages. The windward side of the mountain receives considerably more rainfall whereas the leeward side remains dry because air loses most of its moisture.

Starting at above the Sea level, firstly with the winds that approached the coast, that pushed the wind upwards towards the windward side. While rising up, the wind became moist and cooled down because of a decrease in temperature. Moisture in air resulted in clouds formation, and as they continued to reach higher altitude, they turned more damped and produced rain. Rain fell from the top of mountain and after losing much of its moisture, dried air kept moving downward from leeward side over mountain. Hence, dry air proceeded on declining towards the earth's surface, and then dry wind reached inland areas, where very little rainfall occurred. Consequently, this all turned into the formation of Rain-Shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation process. You have clearly outlined the transition from the windward side to the leeward side, noting the key stages such as moisture loss, cloud formation, and the resulting arid conditions. The overview is clear and the information is logically selected. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention the 'thousands of kilometers' scale or the specific elevation changes if they are key features of the diagram. Overall, you have covered all parts of the task well and provided a clear summary of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The report is logically organized, moving step-by-step through the process from the coast to the inland desert. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Starting at', 'While rising up', and 'Consequently'. However, the paragraphing is limited; the response would benefit from a clearer separation between the introduction/overview and the detailed process description. Some transitions are slightly mechanical, but the progression of ideas remains clear throughout the text, making the information easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'leeward side', 'windward side', 'moisture', and 'altitude' correctly. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'turned more damped' (should be 'damp' or 'saturated') and 'proceeded on declining' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the process clearly, incorporating more precise scientific collocations would elevate the response to a higher band level.

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 slips, such as 'firstly with the winds that approached the coast, that pushed the wind upwards' (which contains a redundant relative clause) and 'this all turned into the formation of' (which is slightly informal). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentence boundaries are slightly awkward. The errors present do not impede communication, but more consistent control over complex sentence construction is needed for a higher score.

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