Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram show the steps involved in the process which illustrates how the winds from thousand of kilometers away from the sea coast, rain and mountains are involved in the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the coast winds move upwards towards the mountains where moist air gets cool followed by rain falls. Then after crossing the mountains, the air gets dry and continue to travel down the hill. Eventualy that dry wind reaches the inland area and form rain-shadow desert.

In the first step, the winds approaches the sea coast and then they are pushed upwards where the moist air rises and cools. Following the cloud formation the rain falls at the peak of mountain.

In the following step, after rainfall the air gets dry and take thw downward path along the mountain, crossing the leeward side the wind arrives at inland area creating a rain-shadow desert thousands of kilometers away from the sea coast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all main parts of the task by outlining the key stages in the formation of rain-shadow deserts. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, which captures the general progression from moist coastal winds to dry inland conditions. However, certain aspects are somewhat under-developed or lack full clarity. For instance, the description of how moist air rises and cools leading to cloud formation is slightly compressed, and some relationships between the physical stages are glossed over rather than fully elaborated. Nevertheless, the selection of information is generally relevant, and all essential steps from the diagram are mentioned, placing the response solidly at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement with a discernible progression of steps from the initial coastal winds to the final inland desert. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the overview from the detailed sequence of steps. However, cohesion feels somewhat mechanical at times, relying on basic sequencing markers such as 'In the first step' and 'In the following step'. Furthermore, referencing and transitional links between sentences occasionally lack fluidity, causing the flow to feel slightly disjointed. Pronoun referencing and clause connectors could be varied and managed more skillfully to create smoother transitions between the geographical features.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed for the task, successfully conveying geographical concepts such as 'moist air', 'leeward side', and 'inland area'. The writer attempts to use less common vocabulary, including phrases like 'rain-shadow desert' and 'downward path', though there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as writing 'thw' instead of 'through' or 'Eventualy' instead of 'Eventually'. These lexical slips do not impede communication, and the terminology directly related to the visual prompt is generally handled well enough to fulfill the basic requirements of this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The diagram show the steps involved in the process which illustrates how...' and 'following the cloud formation the rain falls'. There are, however, some noticeable errors in grammar, subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The diagram show'), and missing articles or prepositions (e.g., 'winds approaches', 'thousand of kilometers'). Complex sentence attempts occasionally contain structural flaws or awkward phrasing. While these errors persist throughout the text, they rarely impede overall communication, reflecting an intermediate command of grammatical structures.

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