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 a 7 steps linear process that shows the formation of rain shadow deserts on the Mountains that are of thousands of kilometers in diameter near the sea .

Overall, the method comes in motion when the winds move towards the coast from the seaside, then they are pushed in the upward direction to the peak of the mountains. In the next step, the air which is moist rises to the further north and cools downs due to the weather conditions. Due to the fall in temperature there is formation of clouds in the sky near the windward side.

After these clouds reach to the top of the mountains, rain is conducted. Following the rain fall, near the leeward side, air with low humidity continues to stay over the mountain. Finally, the last stop for these dry winds is the inland areas, comprising of the rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, from the initial movement of moist air to the final arid conditions inland. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, the mention of '7 steps' is not clearly reflected in the structure of the text, and the explanation of the physical mechanism (such as the cooling of air as it rises and the subsequent loss of moisture) could be more precise. While the main features are identified, the response lacks a deeper analysis of the relationship between the windward and leeward sides, which is crucial for this task. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the contrast between the two sides of the mountain.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, moving sequentially through the stages of the process. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction/overview from the body of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'In the next step', 'Following the rain fall', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the transition between the description of the clouds and the rain could be more fluid. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a band 6.5 or 7.0 level of organization.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'moist', 'humidity', 'windward', and 'leeward' showing an attempt to use topic-specific language. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'the method comes in motion' and 'rain is conducted', which are not natural collocations in this context. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise scientific terminology and avoid wordy or slightly unnatural expressions. The spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'the Mountains that are of thousands of kilometers in diameter' (which is slightly awkward) and 'the air which is moist rises to the further north and cools downs' (incorrect verb form 'cools downs'). Additionally, 'comprising of' is a common error; it should be 'comprising' or 'composed of'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A wider variety of complex structures with greater accuracy would be required for a band 7.0.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.