Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02

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 picture illustrates the process of forming rain-shadow deserts. The formation happens where there are mountains near a sea. Formation starts when high speed winds from the coastal areas hit the mountain. As these breezes reaches the mountain, their speed drops and its slides upwards to the mountain. Following the tracjectory by the winds, the temperature of the moist air decreases. This drop in temperature helps in forming the clouds that later on rains. In parallel, winds continue its journey of crossing the mountain. When those winds reached the downward hill of the mountain, it usually becomes dry. This dry windy breeze accompanied by the mountain's sand and dust, reached the inland area. With the passage of time, this bulk of dust and sand followed by the dry winds forms the rain-shadow deserts in the inland area. Importantly, this whole process of forming rain-shadow desert takes thousands of kilometers in area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by describing the main features of the rain-shadow desert formation process from the coastal winds to inland areas. However, some stages are more fully developed than others, and certain details are slightly inaccurate or unconventional compared to the diagram, such as the mention of the mountain's 'sand and dust' accompanying the winds. The overview is implicit rather than explicitly stated, which places the response firmly within the requirements for this band level where relevant ideas are presented but some remain somewhat under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a logical chronological sequence following the numbered stages of the diagram from the sea to the inland area. Cohesive devices are used to link the stages together, such as 'Following the trajectory' and 'In parallel'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally mechanical or slightly faulty, for instance with pronoun agreement issues like 'their speed drops and its slides'. Paragraphing is also limited, as the entire response is presented as a single block of text rather than being divided into a clear introduction and body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to attempt less common terms such as 'trajectory', 'precipitation', and 'inland area'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the response, such as 'high speed winds', 'slides upwards', and 'downward hill' instead of leeward side. Spelling and word formation errors, like 'tracjectory', do not impede overall communication but highlight the limitations in lexical precision characteristic of this band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to vary sentence structures. There are, however, several noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and pronoun consistency, as seen in 'breezes reaches', 'their speed... its slides', and 'winds continue its journey'. Articles and prepositions are also misused in places. Despite these errors, the structures rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the intended meaning of the process.

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

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