Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 process diagram demonstrates the step-by-step formation of a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, rain-shadow desert formation is a 7-step, linear process. It begins with the wind approaching the coast and ends when the dry wind reaches inland areas, covering a distance of thousands of Kilometres.

The process begins with the wind approaching the coast from one side of the mountain, which is then pushed upwards to the mountain. Following that, the moist air rises and cools at the windward side of the mountain. Once the air cools down, cloud formation starts just above the windward side. Subsequently, rain falls at the top of the mountain. Afterwards, dry air continues over the mountain at the leeward side.

Once the dry air continues to move down towards the bottom of the mountain, which covers an area of thousands of kilometres. Finally, the wind reaches inland areas and a rain-shadow desert forms at that place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully highlights the main features of the diagram illustrating the formation of a rain-shadow desert. The response outlines the 7-step process from the wind approaching the coast to the creation of the desert inland. Key stages such as moist air rising, cooling on the windward side, cloud formation, precipitation at the top, and dry air descending on the leeward side are appropriately identified and reported. The overview provided in the second paragraph effectively summarises the overall process. The response covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear and accurate summary of the visual data without missing major components.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised and easy to follow, with a clear progression from the beginning to the end of the process. The student effectively uses sequencing cohesive devices such as 'It begins with', 'Following that', 'Once', 'Subsequently', 'Afterwards', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the steps. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. However, some minor cohesion issues exist, such as the sentence structure in the final paragraph ('Once the dry air continues to move down towards the bottom of the mountain, which covers an area...'), which breaks the flow of logical progression slightly, keeping the score at a solid 6.5 to 7.0 range.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, featuring domain-specific terms such as 'coast', 'windward side', 'leeward side', 'moist air', and 'rain-shadow desert'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary items and phrases like 'step-by-step formation' and 'linear process'. However, there are some minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as spelling 'Kilometres' with a capital letter unnecessarily and a slight repetition of verbs like 'approaching' and 'continues'. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to convey the process clearly and precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses introduced by 'Once', 'as', and relative clauses. There are several error-free sentences, showing a good level of control over basic and intermediate grammar. However, a notable grammatical flaw occurs in the fourth paragraph: 'Once the dry air continues to move down towards the bottom of the mountain, which covers an area of thousands of kilometres' is a fragment dependent clause lacking a main verb and independent clause completion. Despite this slip, punctuation is generally sound and communication is not severely impeded.

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

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