Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05

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 process of rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the seven steps process begins with the approach of winds in coast, and then formation of clouds and rain fall, it ends with reach of dry winds in inland areas.

The rain-shadow deserts include seven formation steps. It significantly starts from sea where winds approach coast then in 2nd step winds pushed upwards towards the mountain. Gradually when winds goes up, moist air rises and it becomes cool, and it reaches towards windward side of mountain. In addition, fourth step begins with the formation of clouds, and then clouds becomes the reason of rain fall in fifth step.

Moreover, in sixth step dry air continues over the mountain. it goes down towards leeward side. However, in the last step, dry winds reach inland areas. This whole process covers thousands of kilometers. In fact, all this desert formation process occurs in the mountain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the seven-step process clearly. The overview provides a concise summary of the beginning and end of the process. However, the description of the steps is somewhat mechanical, relying on a list-like approach rather than a more integrated analysis of the geographical process. While all parts of the task are addressed, the development of the ideas is limited by the repetitive structure. To reach a higher band, you should aim to group the stages more logically (e.g., the ascent, the precipitation, and the descent) rather than simply numbering them, which would allow for a more sophisticated summary of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear overall progression from the start to the end of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'However' are used to link ideas. However, the reliance on ordinal numbers ('2nd step', 'fourth step', 'sixth step') makes the flow feel somewhat mechanical and repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and reducing the reliance on simple enumeration would enhance the flow and coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the process. You have used some topic-specific terms like 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'moist air'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'winds in coast' instead of 'coastal winds' and 'clouds becomes the reason of rain fall' instead of 'clouds result in precipitation'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding wordy explanations for simple scientific concepts. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('in coast', 'in 2nd step', 'in the mountain') and subject-verb agreement ('clouds becomes', 'winds goes'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering basic article usage and ensuring that verbs agree with their subjects, while also attempting to vary sentence structure with more complex subordinating clauses.

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

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