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 graph illustrates the formation of a form of desert commonly called as rain-shadow desert

The process begins over the sea with the winds that approach the coast picking up moist air. The winds then pushes upward along the side of a mountain carrying the moisture along with it. These moist air cools and condenses which results in the formation of clouds which upon further condensation rains over one side of the mountain. This section of the mountain is referred to as the windward side.

The dry air subsequently crosses over the mountain and moves over to the other side. The dry air moves further inland and forms the leeward side. Since the dry wind reaches the other side, no rainfall occurs on that section of the mountain which results in dry and arid conditions.Consequently, that area forms the rain-shadow desert.The windward and leeward side can be divided by a large strech of distance often amounting to thousands of kilometers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation process shown in the diagram, beginning with winds approaching the coast and ending with the creation of the rain-shadow desert over thousands of kilometres. An overview is present, and the progression of steps—such as moist air rising, cloud formation, precipitation on the windward side, and dry air descending on the leeward side—is accurately reported. However, the introduction contains a minor punctuation omission (missing period at the end), and the description could have been slightly more extended regarding the specific geographical labels like 'leeward side'. Nevertheless, all key parts of the prompt are addressed competently, satisfying the criteria for Band 6.5 to 7.0. Because the main features are clearly selected and reported, a band score of 6.5 is appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is arranged into logical paragraphs that follow the chronological stages of the process diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'The process begins', 'subsequently', and 'Consequently' are used to guide the reader through the stages. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the windward/precipitation phase, and the leeward/desert formation phase. However, referencing and transitions are at times a bit mechanical, and punctuation issues at sentence boundaries (e.g., missing periods before 'Consequently' and the final sentence) slightly disrupt the flow. Overall, the organization displays a clear progression throughout, justifying a band score of 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a geographical process, using terms such as 'condenses', 'precipitation', 'arid conditions', and 'windward side'. There are some awkward phrasings or word choices, such as 'commonly called as' (should be 'commonly referred to as' or 'known as') and 'large strech of distance' (spelling error 'strech' instead of 'stretch'). Despite these minor inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the process clearly without impeding communication, earning a band score of 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and conditional-like phrasing ('which upon further condensation rains'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, subject-verb agreement errors occur in 'The winds then pushes upward' (should be 'push') and 'These moist air cools' (should be 'This moist air cools'). Furthermore, punctuation is weak, with multiple run-on sentences and missing periods at the ends of paragraphs. These errors occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score, but because meaning remains clear, a band score of 6.0 is warranted.

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