Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the formation of a specific desert, which is called rain-shadow desert. The flow of events that contribute to the formation are depicted through this diagram.

Overall, the rain-shadow desert develops by seven distinct steps, starting from the coastal winds from the sea. These winds approach the high altitude mountains and finally reach the inland to create the rain-shadow desert. The mountain area is stretched over thousands of kilometers which contribute in the formation.

Initially, the wind approaches the coast, flowing over the sea. These winds are then pushed upward, on windward side, toward the mountain peak. When the strong winds move upward, the air becomes moist and its temperature start to cool down, forming dense clouds. These clouds then cause a rainfall at the mountain peak.

After the rainfall, the air loses its water content and becomes dry. This dry air continues over mountain toward leeward side. Finally, when this dry air reaches the inland area, it creates a rain-shadow desert on inlands.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the rain-shadow desert formation process, from the initial winds approaching the coast to the creation of the desert inland. The overview effectively captures the seven distinct steps and highlights key geographical features like the mountain range and thousands of kilometers scale. The stages are reported accurately in sequential order, matching the source diagram well without any major omissions or invented data. While the development of some individual points is slightly brief, the overall task is covered thoroughly and clearly satisfies the Band 7 level descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response exhibits clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is divided sensibly into an introduction with an overview, followed by logical body paragraphs that mirror the stages of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as "Overall", "Initially", "After the rainfall", and "Finally" are used effectively to guide the reader through the sequence. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different phases of the natural process, ensuring a smooth and coherent overall arrangement that meets the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing process-specific terms such as "altitude", "moist", "dense clouds", and "water content". Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style, though there are minor inaccuracies in word choice or collocation, such as "flow of events" instead of "sequence of stages" and "causes a rainfall" instead of "causes precipitation". Nevertheless, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the information clearly and does not impede communication, aligning well with a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating decent control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include relative clauses and adverbial clauses of time (e.g., "When the strong winds move upward, the air becomes moist..."). However, there are some minor grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ("its temperature start to cool down" instead of "starts") and missing articles ("on windward side" instead of "on the windward side"). These errors occur periodically but rarely impede communication, placing the grammar firmly at a Band 6.5 level.

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

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