Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24

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 7.0)

The diagram illustrates how a rain-shadow desert is formed. A rain-shadow desert comes into being if there are mountains in the middle of a sea and land and is formed on the inland that is connected to the leeward side of the mountains.

The formation starts with winds coming along the sea and approaching the coast, which are then pushed upwards to the windward side of a mountain.

The winds are moist because they carry water vapours from the sea. That being the reason, as the moist air ascends and cools down, clouds are formed. The process of precipitation takes place and results in the clouds getting heavier as they rise higher, eventually pouring down near the top of the mountains. After all the moisture is poured on the land, the dry air continues down the mountain towards the leeward side. As the dry winds reach the inland areas, a rain-shaddow desert is formed.

This mountains are stretched for thousands of kilometres, resulting in the entire process being stretched too.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student provides a clear overview of the process diagram, successfully identifying the main stages of rain-shadow desert formation from the sea and coast, across the windward side of mountains, and down to the leeward side and inland area. Key features such as moist air cooling, cloud formation, precipitation, and dry air descending are accurately reported in a logical sequence. The details match the visual reference well, including the mention of thousands of kilometres at the end. The response covers all parts of the task appropriately, earning a solid band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The text is logically organised and easy to follow, moving sequentially from the initial winds near the sea through the mountain stages to the final inland desert. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introductory overview from the body details and concluding remarks. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, with phrases like 'The formation starts with' and 'As the dry winds reach'. However, there are some minor mechanical links, such as 'That being the reason, as', which slightly detract from absolute fluency, keeping this criterion at a band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic process description, utilising terms such as 'precipitation', 'vapours', 'ascends', and 'leeward side'. There are some successful less common items and accurate collocation attempts. However, there is a minor spelling slip ('rain-shaddow') and occasional phrasing that feels slightly unnatural, such as 'comes into being if there are mountains in the middle of a sea and land'. Overall, the vocabulary is adequate and conveys meaning effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

A fair mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, such as relative clauses and temporal subordinate clauses ('as the moist air ascends and cools down, clouds are formed'). Grammatical control is generally good, and communication is never impeded. There are a few minor slips, such as the determiner error in 'This mountains are stretched', where 'This' should be pluralised to 'These'. The majority of sentences are accurate, supporting a band 7 score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.