Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the formation of one type of desert described as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the process begins with the movement of winds towards the coast and ends at the arrival of dry winds in inland areas. The whole process consists of 7 stages.

In the initial stage, the hot winds move from the sea towards the coast and push in an upward direction in order to reach the windward side. As the winds encounter the mountain, they are forced to ascend. At the windward side, the moist air rises and cools the hot coastal winds. By the cooling of the air, the process creates the formation of clouds.

After the formation clouds, rain falls on the mountain, and dry air continues to move on the other side of the mountain to reach the leeward side, which is located on the opposite side of the windward side. The dry winds then reach the inland areas to create the rain-shadow desert. The distance between the coast and the desert is around thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram well. You have successfully identified the key stages, from the movement of moist air to the creation of the rain-shadow effect. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. However, to reach a higher band, you could improve the precision of your descriptions. For example, mentioning the specific terms 'windward' and 'leeward' is excellent, but the explanation of the cooling process could be more detailed, and the claim about the 'thousands of kilometers' is not explicitly supported by the provided diagram, which is a minor issue regarding the interpretation of visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological flow of the process. You use cohesive devices such as 'In the initial stage', 'After the formation', and 'The dry winds then' to guide the reader. While the paragraphing is appropriate, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases further and ensure that the connection between the cooling of the air and the subsequent rainfall is more tightly integrated to improve the flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including relevant technical terms like 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist air', and 'rain-shadow'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is positive. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'the formation clouds' (missing 'of') and 'By the cooling of the air' (which sounds slightly unnatural). Improving your control over collocations and prepositional phrases will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and easy to follow, and your grammar is generally accurate. There are some minor errors, such as 'After the formation clouds' (missing 'of') and 'the process creates the formation of clouds' (which is slightly redundant). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching the higher bands where a wider range of error-free complex structures is expected. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for small omissions will be beneficial.

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

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