Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-06

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 diagram illustrates the process involved in the formation of a desert type, called rain-shadow desert.

Overall, it is clear that the process of forming rain-shadow goes through 7 different processes including rising of moist air, forming of clouds, rainfall etc.

On the left region of the mountains is the sea, wheareas the other region is the inland place where that desert is formed. Initially, the wind approaching the coast of the sea is pushed in the upper direction as it reaches the coast. This moist air rises until it reaches a level of a mountain called windward side. Here the moist air cools down and transformed into clouds.

Rain begins as soon as the clouds reach the mountain's peak. These rainfall results into a flow of air which is dried. This dry air crosses the mountain and passes through leeward. Finally, these dry winds reaches the inland which makes the inland into a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert, successfully meeting the minimum length requirement. It provides an overview mentioning the seven distinct steps shown in the visual data. Key features such as the sea, the windward side of the mountain, clouds, rainfall, and the leeward side leading to the inland desert are reported. However, some aspects of the process are under-developed or described with slight inaccuracies, such as the statement that 'These rainfall results into a flow of air which is dried,' which lacks precise scientific explanation from the diagram. To reach a higher band, the response would need to extend and support all identified features with greater precision and clarity throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological steps of the diagram. Information is logically sequenced from the sea and coast on the left, up and over the mountains, and down to the inland desert on the right. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Initially', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the stages. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally mechanical or slightly faulty, as seen in 'wheareas the other region' and repetitive sentence structures starting with pronouns. Paragraphing is present but could be managed more effectively to separate distinct geographical zones and process phases to achieve a more seamless progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the basic geographical concepts and process stages required. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to the diagram, such as 'rain-shadow desert', 'windward side', and 'leeward'. However, there are noticeable word choice and word form errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'desert type' instead of 'type of desert', 'forming rain-shadow' instead of 'the rain-shadow effect', 'in the upper direction' instead of 'upwards', and 'transformed into clouds' instead of 'transform into clouds'. Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical precision is limited, meaning vocabulary control remains at an adequate rather than flexible level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases such as 'On the left region of the mountains is the sea'. There are several grammatical errors present, including subject-verb agreement issues ('These rainfall results into', 'these dry winds reaches'), awkward prepositional use ('approaching the coast of the sea', 'reaches the coast'), and missing articles ('passes through leeward'). These errors are typical of a mixed grammatical control level where simple sentences are generally well-managed, but complex structures or agreement patterns introduce errors. Fortunately, these errors rarely impede overall communication.

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