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 diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow deserts. Here, the mountain is subdivided into four areas. They are: coast, windward side, leeward side, and inland.

Overall, the rain-shadow deserts form thousands of kilometres away from the coastal area in seven steps.

At first, winds from the sea level approach towards the coastal area. Then, winds is pushed upwards by hitting the mountains' surface. As a result, moist air rises in windward side of the mountain. Therefore, the air is also cooled down , and it forms an array of clouds. After some time, the formed clouds turn into rain. After a long time of raining, the air gets dry. The dry air continues to flow the other side of the mountain. By crossing through the leeward side, the dry winds reach inland areas. Due to the flow of dry wind in the inland area, the area becomes a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of rain-shadow desert formation, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6 score. An overview is present, noting that the process occurs over thousands of kilometres in seven steps. However, some aspects of the process are under-developed or described with limited detail. For instance, the transition from moist air rising to cloud formation and rain is slightly simplified, and certain steps from the diagram are described in a somewhat mechanical fashion. While the main features are successfully reported and compared across the geographic zones mentioned in the visual data, extending the explanations of atmospheric changes during the process would elevate the response to a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical chronological progression that matches the numbered steps in the diagram. Paragraphing is used, separating the introduction, overview, and body details, though the main body is contained in a single dense paragraph. Cohesive devices are employed to signal transitions, such as 'At first', 'Then', 'As a result', and 'After some time'. However, referencing and cohesion can occasionally feel mechanical or repetitive, particularly in the heavy reliance on time-based connectors to link consecutive sentences. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to employ a wider variety of cohesive relationships and break the body text into more manageable paragraphs representing distinct phases of the geographical process.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms from the visual prompt such as 'coast', 'windward side', 'leeward side', 'inland areas', and 'rain-shadow desert'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though this is accompanied by some inaccuracies in word choice and collocations, such as 'winds is pushed' (subject-verb agreement aside, the choice of verb could be more precise) or 'flow the other side'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. To move up to the next band, the writer should demonstrate greater precision in lexical selection and incorporate more sophisticated academic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like relative clauses and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'winds from the sea level approach towards the coastal area'). There are some errors in grammar, such as the subject-verb agreement slip 'winds is pushed', missing articles or awkward prepositions in phrases like 'flow the other side of the mountain'. Punctuation errors, such as the space before the comma in 'cooled down , and', also occur. However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, placing the grammar firmly in the Band 5.5 to 6 range. To improve further, the writer should increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and ensure tighter control over subject-verb agreement and prepositions.

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

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