Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The supplied diagram illustrates the process by which rain-shadow desert is formed.

Overall, the process consist of seven main stages,beginning with winds approaching the coast and ending with dry winds reaching inland areas.

Intially,winds from the sea approach the coast and are then forced upward as they encounter the mountain. As the air rises along the windward side,it becomes cooler. While this cooling causes cloud to form, and eventually,rainfall occurs on this side of the mountain.

After realeasing much of its moisture as rain,the air passes over the mountain peak and moves down the leeward side. At this stage, the air is considerably drier. The dry air continues to descend and move over the mountain towards the inland region.

Finally, these dry winds reach the inland areas,where very little rainfall occurs. Over thousands of kilometres,the extremely dry conditions lead to the formation of a rain-shadow desert. Thus, the mountain acts as a barrier that cause heavy precipitation on its windward side while creating a dry environment on its leeward side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully covers all key parts of the task by reporting the main stages in the formation of a rain-shadow desert. An appropriate overall trend and summary are provided, noting how the mountain acts as a barrier. The progression from winds approaching the coast to dry conditions inland is clearly traced using the provided visual data, such as mentioning the windward side, moisture release, and the leeward side. The information is accurately selected and reported without major omissions, placing the response comfortably within the expectations for this criterion. To reach the highest bands, the student could integrate slightly more precise comparative details regarding the scale or elevation changes indicated in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped into sensible paragraphs, moving from an introductory overview to the sequential stages of the process and concluding with a summary of the overall effect. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Intially', 'After realeasing', and 'Finally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the steps of the diagram. Referencing is generally well managed, though paragraphing and transitions could be slightly more refined to achieve a more seamless flow. Overall, the arrangement of ideas is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, displaying a sufficient range to describe a scientific process with some precision. The student successfully attempts less common lexical items such as 'precipitation', 'barrier', 'descend', and 'leeward side' with a reasonable level of awareness regarding style. However, there are a few noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'Intially' instead of 'Initially' and 'realeasing' instead of 'releasing'. These minor inaccuracies do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band score. Greater precision and flawless spelling of technical terms would elevate the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over descriptive structures such as 'As the air rises along the windward side, it becomes cooler'. There are some grammatical and punctuation errors present, notably missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'stages,beginning', 'side,it', 'rain,the'), incorrect subject-verb agreement in isolated instances (e.g., 'process consist'), and minor article omissions. Nevertheless, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication. To improve further, the student should ensure tighter punctuation control and eliminate minor slips in basic sentence mechanics.

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

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