Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-03

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 given image depicts the formation of desert under a certain circumstance of geological terrain and it is named as rain-shadow deserts.

The process is started as winds approach coast and are pushed upwards due to the mountains. As they proceed further the moist air rises and cools down to form clouds at a higher altitude. Near the top of the mountains the clouds falls as rain on the windward side of the mountains, but the dry winds continues to flow to the other side commonly knows as the leeward side. Finally the dry winds reach the inland areas situated thousands of kilometers away from the coast. This natural phenomenon creates a desert area where dry winds come naturally and takes away the moisture to form Rain-shadow desert.

To summarise this we can say that moist winds from the sea reaches coast and pushed upward by windward side to form clouds and rain but this lead to dry winds flowing from leeward side to inland areas creating Rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by outlining the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert, from the initial winds approaching the coast to the creation of the desert inland. It presents a clear overview in the final paragraph, capturing the main trend effectively. However, certain aspects are slightly under-developed; for instance, the explanation of how moisture is removed by dry winds could be extended to fully capture the mechanism shown in the visual data. The selection of features is generally accurate, tracking the sequential steps of moist air rising, cooling, and precipitating on the windward side before dry air descends on the leeward side. To reach higher bands, the writer could provide more detailed elaboration on the geographical scale or atmospheric changes at each distinct phase of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response displays an overall coherent arrangement, successfully guiding the reader through the sequential stages of the diagram. Ideas are logically sequenced, moving naturally from the coast across the mountains to the inland desert. Cohesive devices are used to connect the steps, such as 'As they proceed further', 'Near the top', and 'Finally', though referencing is at times slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is appropriately utilised, separating the introduction, the body process description, and the concluding summary. To achieve a higher band, the transitions between sentences could be made more fluid, and referencing pronouns could be managed with greater precision to avoid repetitive phrasings.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terminology such as 'geological terrain', 'moist air', 'altitude', 'windward side', 'leeward side', and 'natural phenomenon'. The writer attempts less common vocabulary items with general success, although there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'the process is started as' instead of 'begins when', and 'clouds falls' instead of 'fall'. Spelling is generally accurate throughout. To move towards a higher band, the writer should integrate a wider variety of precise academic collocations and demonstrate more flexible control over less common lexical items without minor slips.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination and relative clauses. There are, however, some noticeable grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as missing articles ('formation of desert', 'approach coast'), subject-verb agreement issues ('clouds falls'), and punctuation omissions. These errors do not impede communication, but they occur with enough regularity to prevent the text from achieving a higher score. To reach the next level, the writer needs to increase the proportion of error-free complex sentences and exercise better control over articles, prepositions, and grammatical agreements.

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

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