Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
The image exemplify the process of rain-shadow desert formation.
Overall, the illustration represents the process of wind changing its nature due to moisture level and travelled over thousands of kilometers from sea to inland, producing rain-shadow deserts.
At first, the winds travel over the sea surface reaches the coast area and due to the elevation of mountains the winds pushed upwards along the windward sideof the mountains. Due to this elevation, the moisture in air rises and cooled down shaping it into the clouds. As the moisture level increases more and more the clouds formation also increases which eventually causing the rain falls over the mountains.
Furthermore, after the rain the dry air continoues its path downwards alongside leeward side of the mountains. Once the dry winds reaches the inland areas, it produce rain-shadow deserts.
Throughout this journey, winds travel several thounsands of kilometers from sea to mountains and then from mountains to inland, to mature its nature for the cultivation of rain-shadow deserts.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response successfully covers all parts of the visual prompt by outlining the complete sequence of rain-shadow desert formation, from winds approaching the coast to reaching inland areas. There is a clear overview provided in the second paragraph that effectively summarises the main stages and overall nature of the process. The student highlights key features such as elevation, cooling, cloud formation, precipitation on the windward side, and dry air descending on the leeward side. While some minor details could be extended further to fully explore the next tier of task achievement, all essential stages of the process diagram are accurately reported and supported.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression from the beginning to the end of the natural process, satisfying the main requirements of logical organisation. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the introduction, overview, and specific sequential stages of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'Furthermore', and 'Throughout this journey' are employed to guide the reader through the steps. However, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical, and referencing between sentences is at times a little repetitive, preventing the response from reaching a higher band level.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully attempting less common and process-specific items such as 'elevation', 'precipitation', 'moisture level', and 'cultivation'. However, there are noticeable word-form and word-choice inaccuracies, such as 'The image exemplify' (instead of exemplifies), 'continoues' (spelling error), 'thounsands' (spelling error), and awkward phrasing like 'mature its nature'. These errors do not impede overall communication, but they reflect a typical Band 6 lexical profile where attempts at sophisticated vocabulary are accompanied by recurring lexical slips.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms to describe the multi-stage diagram. Good control is shown in several multi-clause sentences, such as 'At first, the winds travel over the sea surface reaches the coast area...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors involving subject-verb agreement ('the winds... reaches'), missing articles ('the coast area', 'the rain falls'), and prepositions or clause integration ('due to the elevation of mountains the winds pushed upwards', where passive voice is incomplete). These errors represent a mix of error-free structures and recurring flaws that place the grammar firmly in the Band 5 to 6 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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