Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18

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 of rain-shadow desert through complex natural process starting from sea coast.It involves seven different stages including wind movements,cloud formation and rain fall leads to the development of a natural desert which is kilometers distant from the starting point.

Initially the wind from the sea approaches the coast is pushed upwards in the windward side of mountains. Then the moist air rises above the sea and cools down leads to the formation of clouds which results in heavy rainfall in the mountain region. Subsequently after the rain fall the dry air continues to move over the mountain towards the leeward side of the mountain. Further the dry winds reach the inland areas and finally lead to the formation of rain shadow desert situated thousands of kilometres from the sea coast.

To sum up, formation of rain-shadow desert is a complex process involving several natural process like movement of winds and rain fall

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert, from the initial approach of winds from the sea to the final arid inland region. The overview provided in the introduction and conclusion captures the general nature of the process well. The main features—such as moist air rising, cloud formation, precipitation on the windward side, and dry air descending on the leeward side—are accurately identified and sequenced. However, the explanation is slightly concise and could have been extended by incorporating more specific details from the diagram, such as the thousands of kilometres scale or the transition from the coast to the inland area. Nonetheless, the task is well covered overall, fitting comfortably into Band 6.5 to 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion. Progression is generally logical, following the chronological steps of the diagram from left to right. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Then', 'Subsequently', and 'Finally' are employed to guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, paragraphing is somewhat weak, as the main body of the process is compressed into a single, dense paragraph rather than being broken down into logical phases. Additionally, referencing is occasionally repetitive, and punctuation errors around transitions slightly disrupt the flow. These minor cohesion and paragraphing issues place this criterion at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a scientific process, using appropriate terms such as 'precipitation', 'moist air', 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'arid inland region'. However, there are notable lexical slips, missing articles, and awkward phrasing, such as 'formation of rain-shadow desert' (missing article) and 'natural process starting from sea coast' instead of 'from the sea coast'. Furthermore, some vocabulary is repetitive, and attempts at less common lexical items are occasionally imprecise or uncollocational. Because the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points despite these inaccuracies, it meets the requirements for Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, attempting relative clauses and participial phrases, such as 'starting from sea coast' and 'situated thousands of kilometres from the sea coast'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several missing articles ('formation of rain-shadow desert', 'from sea coast'), missing prepositions, and run-on or poorly punctuated clauses, such as 'wind movements,cloud formation and rain fall leads to' where 'leads' has a subject-verb agreement issue. While these errors do not severely impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Control of grammar and punctuation corresponds to Band 6.0.

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

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