Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-04

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 how the desert, called a rain-shadow desert, is created. The overall process of forming a rain-shadow desert consists 7 stages or 7 steps.

The process starts with the winds approaching the coast from the sea side and then it gets pushed upwards alongside mountains that are thousands of kilometers in size. In the next stages the moist air rises and after cooling it takes the form of clouds that occurs from the windward side of the mountain. As the clouds are formed, it initiates the falling of a rain from the top of the mountains. In the last stages, the dry air continues over the mountain from the upper side of the mountain to the lower side of it from leeward side after that dry winds reach inland areas of the mountain where rain shadow desert is formed. As the picture shows the position of thr rain-shadow desert is formed under the ground.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main parts of the task by outlining the stages of rain-shadow desert formation, such as winds approaching the coast and moist air rising, but some aspects are underdeveloped or partially misinterpreted. While the summary covers the sequential steps, the description lacks a clear overview of the overall mechanism. Furthermore, the concluding sentence contains a factual misinterpretation of the diagram, incorrectly stating that the rain-shadow desert is formed 'under the ground', rather than inland on the leeward side of the mountains. This places the response in the mid-range for this criterion, as relevant information is reported, but key relationships and final outcomes are not fully or accurately developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement with a logical chronological sequence that guides the reader through the diagram's steps. Transition phrases such as 'The process starts with', 'In the next stages', and 'In the last stages' are used to mark progression, though they can feel somewhat mechanical. Paragraphing is attempted, but the response is essentially structured into only two blocks, limiting the sophistication of structural organization. Referencing is generally functional, though phrases like 'that occurs from' create slight ambiguity in tracking how ideas connect. Overall, the organizational framework is adequate for a basic flow of information.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common subject-specific terms such as 'rain-shadow desert', 'moist air', 'windward side', and 'leeward side'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'falling of a rain' instead of precipitation or rainfall, and 'thousands of kilometers in size' instead of scale or distance. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not severely impede communication, but the limited control over precise phrasing prevents the writing from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over multi-clause structures like 'As the clouds are formed, it initiates the falling of a rain'. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including pronoun agreement issues ('winds approaching... and then it gets pushed') and prepositional errors ('from the leeward side after that dry winds reach'). Punctuation is also slightly weak, leading to run-on phrasing in the final sentence. These errors do not completely block understanding, but their frequency and the tendency for complex structures to become slightly faulty keep the grammatical score at this level.

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