Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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 illustartes the different natural steps involved in the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, the process involves various natural steps from the movement of wind to the top of mountain, formation of clouds and rain fall; to the downward movement of dry air to inland areas, where due to the lack of rain rain-shadow desert is formed.

The process starts from the sea level, from where the wind by travelling through the sea and collecting water vapors (vaporized by the sun heat from the sea), reache at the coast. After that it moves upward to the mountain. As the temperature drops the moist air cools and the clouds are formed.

These clouds rain at the mountain peaked to the windward side. After raining, the wind gets dried and moves downwards from the leeward side of mountain. This dry wind reaches the inland areas. This wind that reaches this area is always dried. Therefore, there is lack of rain in that area which results in the formtation of rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the main stages and gives a clear overview: moist air rises over the mountains, rain falls on the windward side, and dry air continues inland to create the desert. The sequence is generally accurate, and the explanation of the rain-shadow effect is relevant. To make the account more complete and precise, distinguish more clearly between the wind approaching from the sea and the air becoming moist as it rises and cools; the claim that wind collects water vapour while travelling over the sea is not stated in the diagram. The final explanation that the inland area receives little rain is useful, but some details are generalised rather than closely tied to the labelled stages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is arranged in a clear sequence, moving from an overview to the initial movement of air, rainfall over the mountains, and the dry conditions inland. Linking expressions such as “After that,” “After raining,” and “Therefore” help show the process and its result. Paragraphing also separates the overview from the detailed account. Some connections could be more precise: “These clouds rain” makes the relationship between cloud formation and precipitation less clear, while the repeated references to “this wind” make the final stages slightly repetitive. Use more exact references, such as “the resulting dry air,” and connect each sentence directly to the next labelled stage.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The response uses a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which helps communicate the diagram’s key concepts. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “formation” and “precipitation” (though the latter is not used). However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “illustartes,” “reache,” and “formtation.” Some combinations are also unnatural, such as “mountain peaked” and “wind gets dried.” Aim for accurate spelling and conventional collocations, and avoid adding explanations such as “vaporized by the sun heat” when they are not shown in the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “from where the wind…” and a cause-and-effect structure in “Therefore, there is lack of rain…”. The sequence remains understandable despite some grammatical errors. For example, “the wind by travelling through the sea and collecting water vapors… reache at the coast” has an awkward clause structure, and “These clouds rain at the mountain peaked” has problems with sentence construction and article use. The phrase “there is lack of rain” also needs an article. Work on forming clear subject–verb clauses and checking articles, verb forms, and prepositions; greater accuracy in these areas would make the process easier to follow.

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