Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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 presents the formation of the rain-shadow desert. Overall, this process is completed by passing through seven stages. It's starts with the wind approaches the coast, all the way to the other side of the mountain where the dry wind reached the land area. The mountain is situated between the land and the sea. which created a thousands of kilometer distance between them.

The process begin with the sea, wind from the sea approach the coast. The winds push upward from the windward side of the mountain. The moisture in the air increased and the temperature decreased when the air is moving upward on the mountain. As a result the wind transformed into the clouds. When these clouds reached at the top middle of the mountain, these clouds busted and rain started to fell.

After the rain, the dry air continued to travel over the mountain. This side of the mountain is known as Leeward side. The dry air passes through the Leeward side of the mountain and reached on the land side of the mountain. This land area is know as the rain-shadow desert where the dry air reached after the rainfalls.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give a clear overall account, from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching the inland desert. The description of the windward and leeward sides, cloud formation, and rainfall is relevant and mostly matches the diagram. However, some details are less precise: “the moisture in the air increased” does not clearly explain that moist air rises and cools, and “clouds ... busted” suggests a process not shown; the diagram simply indicates that rain falls. The statement that the mountain “created a thousands of kilometer distance” also misreads the scale, which indicates thousands of kilometres horizontally rather than a distance created by the mountain. More precise reporting of these features would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence, with an introduction and overview followed by the windward-side stages and then the leeward-side outcome. Time and result links such as “As a result” and “After the rain” help the reader follow the process. This gives the account a coherent overall progression. Some connections and references are less controlled, however: “these clouds” is repeated, and “This land area” could refer more clearly to the inland area beyond the mountain. The overview sentence also combines several ideas awkwardly, while the isolated “which created...” fragment interrupts the flow. Use clearer sentence boundaries and more varied, precise referencing to make cohesion smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “Leeward side,” “moisture,” “temperature,” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the stages are generally understandable. There are also attempts to describe change with words such as “transformed” and “continued.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram: “clouds busted” is informal and does not describe the labelled event precisely, while “wind transformed into the clouds” confuses the air and the clouds. “Land area” and “land side” are also vague where “inland” would be more exact. Aim for precise process collocations and consistent terminology; this would improve flexibility and accuracy without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex forms, including a result clause (“As a result...”) and a time clause (“when the air is moving upward”). The sequence remains understandable, but grammatical control is uneven, with errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries. Examples include “It's starts,” “the wind approaches,” “The process begin,” and “rain started to fell”; these should use consistent tense and correct verb forms. “The mountain is situated... . which created...” is also an incorrectly separated sentence, and “a thousands” shows an article-and-number error. Review past-tense consistency and check each clause for a complete subject and verb. More accurate control of these patterns would make your varied sentences clearer.

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