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 formation of a rain-shadow desert. Overall, the process begins when wind touches the sea level and move upwards by windward side of the mountains. Ultimately, winds move downward by leeward side and finally form a rain-shadow desert.

The process starts when the winds touch the water on the surface of the sea that push the winds upward. As the winds move upward along the windward side of the mountains, the moisture level ris increases in the air and then cool air turns into clouds. Ultimately the clouds turn into rain fall at the top of the mountains.

Subsequently, the dry air continues over the mountains that move downward by leeward side. When dry winds touch the inland areas, it finally turns into the rain-shadow desert. The whole process begins when winds travel from the coast, cover thousands of kilometres to reach the inland area and form a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers the main stages and gives a clear overall account: moist winds rise on the windward side, rain falls near the mountain, and dry air travels inland to create the desert. This is a strong, relevant summary of the diagram. Some details, however, are less precise: “wind touches the sea level” and “touch the water” suggest contact with the sea, whereas the diagram shows winds approaching from the coast. The explanation that moisture “ris[es]” is also unclear; the air rises and cools, leading to cloud formation and rain. The final reference to travel over thousands of kilometres is grounded in the diagram, but could be integrated more clearly. More exact reporting of the stages would strengthen an otherwise effective overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence, with an overview followed by the windward and leeward stages. Paragraphing helps distinguish the initial process from what happens beyond the mountains, and connectors such as “Overall,” “Subsequently,” and “When” guide the reader. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear. “Ultimately” appears twice, and the repeated “The process starts” and “The whole process begins” make the progression feel repetitive. In “the dry air continues over the mountains that move downward,” the reference of “that” is unclear, disrupting the link between ideas. Use a wider range of precise transitions and make pronoun references explicit to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is adequate vocabulary for describing the process, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moisture,” “dry air,” and “inland areas.” These terms show awareness of the diagram’s subject, and the meaning is generally understandable. Some word choices and collocations are imprecise, however: winds do not “touch the water” or “touch the sea level,” and “turns into the rain-shadow desert” is not a natural way to describe the outcome. “Rain fall” is also written as two words when used as a noun. Aim for accurate process language such as winds “approach from the sea,” air “cools and condenses,” and conditions “create” or “lead to” a desert. This would make the description more precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses both simple and complex forms, including a time clause (“When dry winds touch the inland areas”) and a sequence of linked events. The overall meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors persist. In the overview, “wind … move upwards” has a subject–verb agreement error; “the winds … that push the winds upward” also has an unclear and faulty clause structure. The phrase “the moisture level ris increases” contains a malformed verb phrase, while “the dry air continues over the mountains that move downward” has an unclear relative clause. Articles and prepositions also need attention in phrases such as “by windward side.” Check agreement, clause construction, and sentence boundaries carefully, and use complex structures only when their relationships are clear.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.