Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-25

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 illustration gives information about the transforamation of a desert which is known as rain shadow desert.

Overall, the whole process starts when the winds from sea reaches the top of mountain and form clouds then rain falls and dry air moves towards the inland areas.

It is quite evident from the diagram that, initially for this type of transformation a sea must be linked to a mountain and then to the land. The process take place from the sea when winds approaches the coast and the winds are forced to move upward in the windwards direction. The moist air cools as the temprature at higher altitude drops and form clouds. In the 5th step, the clouds reaches the top and started raining.

Furthermore, then dry air passes the top of the mountains and started to fall gradually on leeward side. At last the dry air reaches the inland areas and form a rain shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses the main features of the diagram illustrating the formation of a rain-shadow desert. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, capturing the progression from sea winds to mountain clouds, rainfall, and dry inland air. Key stages such as the winds approaching the coast, being pushed upward, cooling to form clouds, and precipitation occurring on the windward side are accurately reported. The leeward side and the ultimate formation of the rain-shadow desert inland are also correctly identified. However, some minor details are slightly imprecise, such as stating that the process starts when winds reach the top of the mountain rather than approaching the coast. Overall, the response covers all parts of the prompt adequately and meets the requirements of a Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptor, earning a solid Band 6.0 for covering the main stages despite minor structural generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text is organised into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the sequential steps. There is a clear logical progression from the sea to the coast, up the windward side of the mountains, and down the leeward side into the inland desert. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'Overall', 'It is quite evident', 'Furthermore', and 'At last'. However, referencing and paragraphing could be smoother, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the response. Overall, cohesion is generally clear, matching the criteria for a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a geographical process, including terms like 'transforamation' (misspelled), 'coast', 'moist air', 'temprature' (misspelled), 'altitude', 'leeward side', and 'inland areas'. There are several spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'transforamation', 'temprature', 'reaches' agreement issues, and 'started raining' instead of 'starts to rain'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but inaccuracies in spelling and word form prevent the score from reaching higher bands. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient to convey the intended meaning, representing a Band 5.5 to 6.0 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The illustration gives information about...' and 'The moist air cools as the temprature at higher altitude drops and form clouds.' There are several grammatical errors and slips, including subject-verb agreement issues ('winds... reaches', 'clouds... starts'), spelling errors affecting word forms, and minor punctuation lapses. While these errors do not severely impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to restrict the score to a Band 5.5.

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

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