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 gives information on how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, it is a linear process with seven stages. The process commences with moist winds approaching the coast and ends with dry winds reaching the inland areas. Additionally, there is a windward side where it receives rain and a leeward side that has no rainfall.

Initially, moist winds from the sea approach the coast. They are then pushed up the mountain where the moist air rises. As these moist air continue to rise up the mountain, it cools to form clouds.. After that, cooling continues a formed. The condensed clouds cause the rain to fall and a rainfall is received on the windward side.

On the leeward side, dry air continues over the mountain and flows downwards to the inland areas. When these dry winds reach the inland areas, a rain-shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the key stages of the rain-shadow effect. You successfully contrast the windward and leeward sides, which is essential for this task. However, the description of the process is somewhat brief. While you mention the moist air rising and cooling, the explanation of the condensation process is slightly disjointed. To reach a higher band, ensure that the causal links between the stages—such as the relationship between altitude, temperature, and precipitation—are more clearly articulated. The overview is clear, but the body paragraphs could benefit from more detailed elaboration on the physical mechanisms shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and a sequential description of the process. You use cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'After that', and 'On the leeward side' to guide the reader through the stages. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, with the second paragraph being quite short. Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus, perhaps by grouping the windward and leeward processes into distinct, well-developed paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'moist winds', 'condensed', and 'leeward side' correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice and phrasing, such as 'cooling continues a formed', which is grammatically and lexically unclear. Furthermore, the repetition of 'moist air' and 'inland areas' limits the sophistication of your writing. To achieve a higher score, aim to use more precise synonyms and collocations, such as 'precipitate' instead of 'rain to fall' or 'arid' instead of 'dry'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that detract from the flow. For example, 'As these moist air continue to rise' contains a subject-verb agreement error ('air' is uncountable, so it should be 'continues'). There is also a punctuation error: 'clouds.. After that'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the process. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for punctuation slips.

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