Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram shows the step-by-step formation of one type of dessert known as rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the process has seven stages with three major process. Beginning from winds from the sea that approaches the coast to the formation of clouds and rainfalls and ending with the dry winds reaching the inland areas to create a rain-shadow desert.

The first stage is when wind approches the coas where mists from the seawater is pushed upwards by the sea making the air moist and cool as it approches the windward side of the mountain. In the next stage, this cool moist air that rises through the windward side leads to formation of clouds. When the clouds absorbed this moist air, rain falls through condensation process. As the rain continued to drip on the summit, air will dry and moves over the leeward side of the mountain. As it continue to move downward until it reach the inland areas, rain-shadow is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the diagram as a seven-stage process and give a relevant overview, tracing the movement from sea winds to rain and then dry air reaching inland. The main sequence is generally represented, including cloud formation and rainfall on the windward side and the desert beyond the mountains. This covers the task well, but some details are unclear or inaccurate: the account says moisture is pushed upwards “by the sea,” whereas the diagram shows winds being forced upwards by the mountains, and it does not clearly explain that rising air cools before clouds form. The final link between descending dry winds and the rain-shadow desert is also only briefly stated. More precise explanation of these stages would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological account of the stages. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “The first stage,” and “In the next stage” help the reader follow the process. However, the overview’s phrase “three major process” is unclear, and the body sometimes repeats information about rising moist air rather than moving cleanly from one stage to the next. Some references are also difficult to follow, particularly “When the clouds absorbed this moist air,” which does not clearly connect the clouds to the rainfall. To strengthen progression, describe each numbered stage once and use clear links such as “as a result” or “after crossing the peak” where the relationship is causal.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “condensation,” “moist,” and “inland areas.” These terms show an attempt to describe the diagram specifically, and the overall meaning is usually understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “dessert” is used for “desert,” “rainfalls” is less suitable than “rain,” and “clouds absorbed this moist air” does not express the intended process. There are also spelling errors such as “approches” and “coas.” Aim for precise process verbs and check spelling; for example, say that air is forced upwards, cools, and condenses to form clouds.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning “when,” “as,” and “that,” and the stages remain broadly understandable. However, some grammatical errors affect clarity and control. For example, “the process has seven stages with three major process” has a number-agreement error, while “winds from the sea that approaches” has a mismatch between plural subject and verb. Tense and agreement are also inconsistent in “As the rain continued to drip … air will dry and moves” and “until it reach.” Articles and sentence construction need attention as well. Practise keeping the process consistently in the present simple and checking subject–verb agreement; this will make your complex sentences more reliable.

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