Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the process by which a rain-shadow desert is formed, involving seven main stages.

initally, winds approach the coast (1) from the sea and are then paused upwards (2) when they meet a mountain range. As the moist air rises and cools (3) on the windward side of the mountains, clouds form (4). This leads to rain filling (5) on the windward side at the top of the mountain.

Subsequently, the air becomes dry. This dry air becomes dry. This dry air continues over the mountain (6) to the leeward side. Finally, dry winds reach inland areas (7). Because all the moisture has already fallen as rain on the leeward side recieves very little rainfall, which results in the formation of a desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as having seven stages and report the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. The explanation of rising, cooling air, cloud formation and rain on the windward side is relevant. However, the overview is limited: make the contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward inland area explicit. There is also a factual error in saying the leeward side receives little rain because moisture has fallen there; the rain falls on the windward side. The repeated sentence about dry air leaves the later stages underdeveloped. The response is 125 words, below the required 150, so it does not provide enough detail to cover the process fully. Add a concise overview and explain how the dry air creates the rain-shadow desert.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “initially,” “subsequently” and “finally” help the reader follow the process. The opening also establishes what the diagram depicts. This gives the response a coherent overall arrangement. However, the paragraphing is limited, and the transition from rainfall to the inland desert could be clearer. The sentence beginning “Because all the moisture…” is difficult to follow because its cause-and-effect relationship is not expressed cleanly. In addition, “This dry air becomes dry” repeats information and interrupts progression. Organise the account into a brief overview followed by the stages, and use clear references such as “this air” only when their meaning is unambiguous.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds form” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the diagram’s subject. There is some range in the verbs used to describe the stages. However, several word-choice or spelling slips reduce precision: “paused upwards” does not describe the wind being forced up the mountain, “rain filling” is not the intended expression, and “recieves” is misspelled. “Dry air becomes dry” is also an imprecise repetition. Aim for accurate process collocations and check spelling, especially for key terms. More precise wording would make the description clearer without requiring unnecessarily advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple statements and more complex structures, such as “As the moist air rises and cools…, clouds form” and the final cause-and-effect sentence. Most of the sequence remains understandable. However, some sentence structures are faulty or incomplete. In “Because all the moisture has already fallen as rain on the leeward side recieves very little rainfall,” the dependent clause beginning with “Because” is not properly connected to the main clause, and the relationship between the clauses is unclear. The repeated “This dry air becomes dry” also shows limited control of sentence construction. Use a complete structure such as “Because the moisture falls on the windward side, the leeward side receives little rainfall.” Review clause boundaries and punctuation while retaining a mix of sentence forms.

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