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 process diagram illustrates seven steps for the formation of rain-shadow from a single type of desert.

Overall, winds on the sea level moves upward to the mountains and ends at the ground area where it get dry. From sea coast to rain-shadow desert the distance between them is thousands of kilometres.

At first, winds approach from the coast level pushed upwards in the windward direction where moisture in the air cools. After cooling, it forms into clouds and when reaches at the top on mountains a heavy rain falls from clouds.

Furthermore, procedure proceeds and at step six dry air continues over mountain towards leeward side while moving down it converts into the small rain-shadow. Finally, at last step of the rain-shadow desert the air which dries when falling from mountain reaches the inland areas and is visible in the form of rain-shadow, whereas the distance between sea to end of the mountain is thousands of kilometres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses the main parts of the task by outlining the seven key stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert. However, some aspects are under-developed or less clearly explained. For instance, the overview lacks precision when stating that winds move 'upward to the mountains and ends at the ground area where it get dry,' which misses a fuller summary of the geographical sequence. While all primary features such as moist air rising, cloud formation, precipitation, and dry air reaching inland areas are mentioned, the explanation of the progression could be extended and more precisely detailed to reach a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression from the initial winds approaching the coast to the final inland desert stage. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, overview, and body steps. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty, seen in transitions like 'Furthermore, procedure proceeds and at step six' and 'Finally, at last step,' which feel repetitive and slightly unnatural. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as pronoun use referring back to the air and moisture, meaning cohesive devices require more skillful and varied management.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms from the diagram such as 'windward direction,' 'leeward side,' 'moisture,' and 'inland areas.' There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are accompanied by some word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'rain-shadow from a single type of desert' instead of 'rain-shadow deserts' and 'the small rain-shadow.' Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, but greater precision and lexical variety are needed to achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in verb forms, agreement, and prepositions within grammatical patterns, such as 'winds on the sea level moves' instead of 'move,' 'where it get dry' instead of 'gets dry,' and 'reaches at the top on mountains' instead of 'reaches the top of the mountains.' These errors—along with missing articles and awkward clause structures—typify a level where attempts at complex sentences are frequently flawed, though meaning is still generally conveyed.

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