Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08

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 illustration depicts the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall, rain-shadow desert is formed in 7 steps. The first five steps are on the one side of the mountain which is windward side and other two steps are on the other side which is leeward side. Windward side gets a lot of rain and leeward side gets rain-shadow. This is because the air is moist and cool on the windward side, while it is dry on the leeward side.

First, the air comes from the sea, and it moves upward to the top the mountain. Before, reaching the top the moist air rises and cools which become the reason for clouds formation. When the clouds are formed then the rainfalls start. Thus, the windward side temperature is cooler than the leeward side.

In the 6-step the air comes toward to leeward side it becomes dry and warm. Because of this the rain shadow desert formed on the side of mountain. Thus, on the basis of temperature leeward side is warmer than the windward side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the windward and leeward sides and the process of rain formation. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and relies on a step-by-step listing that lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. While the main features are reported, the explanation of the process is slightly repetitive, and the distinction between the stages could be more clearly integrated. The overview is present but could be more effectively developed to highlight the contrast between the two sides of the mountain more clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Thus', 'Because of this'). The transition between the windward and leeward sides is clear, but the flow within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the causal relationships between air movement, temperature, and precipitation. Paragraphing is logical, but the internal structure of the sentences occasionally feels disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using relevant terms such as 'windward', 'leeward', 'moist', and 'precipitation' (implied). However, the range is limited, and there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'in the 6-step' and 'become the reason for clouds formation'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The word choice is generally functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('on the one side of the mountain', 'on the other side'), incorrect verb forms ('rainfalls start'), and awkward phrasing ('the air comes toward to leeward side'). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would improve the overall accuracy.

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

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