Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-21

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 8.5)

The diagram illustrates the step-by-step geographical process by which a rain-shadow desert forms due to the interaction between moist air currents and a mountain range.

Overall, the process consists of seven distinct stages, beginning with ocean winds moving inland and ending with dry air creating arid conditions on the sheltered side of a mountain range. The fundamental contrast lies between the windward side, which receives significant precipitation, and the leeward side, which receives almost no rain.

In the initial stages, air currents approach the coast from over the sea (1) and encounter a mountain barrier, forcing the winds upwards (2). As this moist air ascends the windward side of the mountain, it cools down (3), leading to the formation of clouds (4). Consequently, heavy rain falls on this coastal slope of the mountain range (5).

Once the air passes over the summit, its moisture has been largely depleted. This now dry air continues its path over the mountain top (6) and descends down the sheltered leeward side. As these dry winds move further inland across a span of thousands of kilometres (7), they create and maintain the arid environment known as a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The student has fully addressed all parts of the task by providing a clear, accurate summary of the rain-shadow desert formation process. The response covers all seven stages sequentially, starting from winds approaching the coast and concluding with the creation of the arid inland desert. A well-constructed overview captures the main features and highlights the fundamental contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward side. The information is fully grounded in the provided diagram without any invented data or misreadings.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

Cohesion and coherence are handled expertly throughout the response. Ideas are logically sequenced, mirroring the step-by-step nature of the diagram. The text is structured into clear paragraphs that separate the introduction and overview from the detailed developmental stages. Cohesive devices such as 'In the initial stages', 'Once the air passes', and 'As these dry winds move further' are used naturally and unobtrusively, guiding the reader smoothly through the progression of the geographical process.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

The student demonstrates a wide and precise lexical range appropriate for an academic task. Advanced terminology such as 'air currents', 'mountain barrier', 'precipitation', 'depleted', and 'arid environment' is integrated with natural control. Collocations are accurate, and less common items are used skillfully to describe scientific phenomena, for instance, 'sheltered leeward side' and 'moist air rises and cools'. There are no spelling or word-choice errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with complete accuracy. The writer effectively employs participial phrases ('forcing the winds upwards', 'leading to the formation of clouds') and complex conditional or temporal clauses ('As this moist air ascends', 'Once the air passes over the summit'). Punctuation is flawless, and sentences are fully error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical control.

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