Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the formation of one form of desert known as rain-shadow desert.

Overall, it involved 7 stages to complete. Initial stages focused on pushing winds to the top of mountains, while middle stages mostly highlighted the formation of clouds, and the last stages focused on moving dry air downwards, which resultantly formed the rain-shadow desert.

In the first stage, strong winds coming from sea collide with coast, and then second stage, these winds were forced to travel upward along with the mountains. Third stage adds cooling effects into the air, because air particles include moisture in it. Finely, the formation od clouds occur in stage four.

Further moving on in the process, the clouds become the cause of the rain, and the rainwater flushes along one side of the mountain. Conversely, the other side of the mountain does not experiences any kind of rain. The air becomes very dry and continues its flow on the downward side and reaches inland areas. Consequently, this results in the formation of desert known as rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by giving an overview of the process and reporting the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert. The overview adequately summarises the seven stages, from the initial wind movement to the final creation of the desert. However, some aspects of the explanation are slightly under-developed or lack full clarity regarding how the geographic features interact, such as the transition from moist air cooling to precipitation. While the essential features of the diagram are covered, the reporting remains somewhat simplistic and would benefit from a more thorough extension of the intermediate processes to reach a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression from the first stage to the final outcome. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the introduction, the overview, and the sequential stages of the process. Cohesive devices are employed to link the narrative, such as 'In the first stage', 'Conversely', and 'Consequently', though referencing and transitions occasionally feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. For instance, phrases like 'Further moving on in the process' could be integrated more smoothly to achieve a fully flexible and natural flow characteristic of a higher band.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the main steps of the diagram using terms such as 'moisture', 'precipitation' (though 'rain' is repeated), and 'inland areas'. The writer makes some attempts at less common lexical items, but occasional word choice and spelling errors occur, such as 'Finely' instead of 'Finally' and 'od clouds' instead of 'of clouds'. Collocations are generally acceptable, though phrasing like 'does not experiences any kind of rain' shows minor lexical inaccuracies. These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, effectively using clauses like 'where rain-shadow desert is formed' and 'winds coming from sea'. There are some noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('collide', 'were forced', 'adds', 'become') and missing articles ('coming from sea', 'formation of desert'). However, these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear. A wider control over complex grammatical structures with fewer basic slips is needed to advance further.

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.