Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram depicts how one type of desert, recognized as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, there are a total seven steps of the formation of rain-shadow deserts which starts from winds approach coast and end with dry winds reach inland areas. This process starts when winds approach from sea coast and followed by mountains to inland by travelling thousands of kilometres.

At the first stage in the process, winds approach coast from sea surface and pushed upwards in second step through windward side followed by moist air rises and cools. In the fourth step, clouds form. This cooling cause precipitation, rain falling on the windward slopes near the mountain peak.subsequently, the air, now dry, continues over the mountains top to the leeward side. As it descends, the dry winds reach the inland areas thousands of kilometres away from the coast . With almost no moisture left to produce rain, these descending dry winds create an arid region known as a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the process from the approaching winds to the formation of the inland desert, and its overview identifies the seven-stage sequence. It also reports the key contrast between the rainy windward side and the dry leeward side, including the movement of air over the mountains. These details address the task clearly. The final explanation that little moisture remains and an arid region results is a relevant extension, although it is an inference rather than a labelled stage in the diagram. To make the account more precise, distinguish the stages more consistently and avoid suggesting that the winds travel thousands of kilometres: the diagram’s scale indicates the distance across the landscape, not necessarily the distance travelled by the winds.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows the diagram’s sequence, and the opening overview gives the reader a useful map of the process. Sequencing expressions such as “At the first stage,” “In the fourth step,” and “subsequently” help connect the stages. However, the overview sentence beginning “This process starts when…” is difficult to follow because it combines the coast, mountains, inland area, and distance without a clear relationship. The main process is also presented in one long paragraph, so the stages and their outcome are less easy to scan. Use a separate overview and group the windward-side events before describing the leeward side and desert; check that transitions link complete, clearly structured sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “windward,” “leeward,” “precipitation,” “moisture,” and “arid region,” which allows it to describe the diagram with some precision. There is also useful variation in references to the air and winds. However, several phrases are awkward or imprecise, such as “winds approach from sea surface,” “through windward side,” and “mountains top.” “Recognized as” is less natural than a phrase describing what the desert is called. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, but more accurate collocations would make the account more fluent. Prefer concise, conventional process language, such as “winds from the sea,” “rise over the windward slope,” and “cross the mountain range.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a range of sentence forms, including a relative clause in “a rain-shadow desert, is formed” and a subordinate clause beginning “With almost no moisture left…”. However, control is uneven, and several errors affect sentence structure and verb forms. For example, “which starts from winds approach coast and end” has faulty agreement and an incomplete construction; “winds approach … and pushed upwards” does not maintain a consistent verb form; and “This cooling cause precipitation” has subject–verb disagreement. Missing or misplaced articles and punctuation also appear in phrases such as “through windward side” and “mountain peak.subsequently.” Review agreement, parallel verb forms, articles, and sentence boundaries, then proofread each sentence for a complete grammatical structure.

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