Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-07

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 illustrates the process of formation of a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the process involves seven different stages starting from the winds approaching the sea coast, air becomes moist as they go upwards and rain falls. Whereas dry air reached the inland areas where the rain-shadow desert formed. The winds on the windward side of mountains remains moist while the winds on leeward side of mountains remains dry.

Initially, winds at sea coast move upwards along the windward side of the mountains, then moist air rises above and cools down as it goes upward and clouds are formed and then rain falls. Then dry air reached the inland areas and rain shadow forest is formed thousands of kilometers away from the sea.

After rainfall, dry air continue to come down along the leeward side of mountains, and after reaching the inland areas which are thousands of kilometers away from the sea the rain shadow desert is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give an overview, noting that moist air rises, rain falls on the mountain side, and dry air reaches inland to create the desert. These points match the diagram, and you also identify the windward and leeward sides. The response shows some of the precision expected at a higher level, but a few details are unclear or inaccurate: “winds at sea coast move upwards” skips the initial approach from the sea, and “rain shadow forest” is not shown—the feature is a rain-shadow desert. The overview also says the air becomes moist as it goes upwards, whereas the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling. Clarifying these stages and avoiding the unsupported forest reference would make the account more complete and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process. The sequence is generally understandable, with markers such as “Initially” and “After rainfall.” However, progression is weakened by repetition: the inland arrival and desert formation are described in both the second and final paragraphs. “Then” is also used repeatedly, making the links mechanical, while “Whereas” begins a fragment rather than connecting two complete ideas. Organise the stages once in chronological order, and use a wider range of clear links such as “as a result” or “subsequently.” This would give the account a more consistent progression and clearer relationships between stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which allows the reader to follow the topic. There is also some useful variation in describing movement, such as “rises” and “come down.” However, several choices are imprecise or repetitive: “rain shadow forest” names a feature absent from the diagram, and “winds at sea coast” is less natural than “winds approaching the coast.” Repeated use of “air,” “winds,” and “then” also limits flexibility. Aim for accurate collocations and vary process language—for example, “moisture-laden air,” “precipitation,” and “the air descends”—while ensuring that alternatives preserve the diagram’s meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex structures, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and the sequence linked with “as” and “then.” The main process remains understandable, but some errors in agreement, tense, and sentence construction reduce control. For example, “the winds … remains” should be “the winds … remain,” and “dry air reached” shifts into the past tense while the rest of the description is mainly in the present. The overview’s “Whereas dry air reached…” is a dependent clause presented as a sentence, and “the process involves … starting …, air becomes moist” joins ideas awkwardly. Use the present simple consistently and check that each sentence has a complete main clause; this will improve accuracy while retaining your attempts at complex forms.

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