Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the formation of a desert known as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, the creation of rain-shadow desert consists of 7 stages. It begins with winds approaching the coast from the seaside and finishes when the dry winds reach the island. The key phenomenon of the process is how moist air dries as it turns on the leeward side of the mountain.

The process starts when the wind from the sea approaches the coast, after which the wind is pushed upwards from the windward side of the mountains. Once moist air rises and cools, the clouds are formed. The moist air transformed into clouds causes the rain to fall at the peak of the mountains.

The process shifts when the air reaches leeward side and once a moist air turns into a dry air. It continues to move over the mountain and travels down to the the bottom. This is where it reaches the island areas and forms the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give an overview, identifying the seven stages and the change from moist air to dry air as central. The account correctly places cloud formation and rainfall over the mountains’ windward side, followed by dry air crossing the mountain. This meets the task well, but some details are less fully or precisely reported: the final destination is inland, not an “island,” and the diagram indicates that dry winds reach inland areas where the rain-shadow desert is located. The explanation that the air “turns” on the leeward side is also unclear; it becomes dry after losing moisture as rain. More precise description of this transition and the inland setting would make the key features more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two chronological paragraphs, so the reader can follow the process from the coast to the inland desert. Sequencing phrases such as “The process starts,” “Once,” and “The process shifts” help signal stages, and the progression is generally logical. However, some links are imprecise or repetitive, and the final paragraph’s references to “it” and “This” make it less clear whether the subject is the air, the wind or the process. The repeated use of “process” also makes the linking somewhat mechanical. Use clearer references—for example, “the dry air then descends on the leeward side”—and connect each stage without repeating the same framing phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds” and “rain-shadow desert,” which allows you to describe the diagram adequately. There is also some variety in verbs such as “approaches,” “rises,” “continues” and “travels.” At times, however, word choice or collocation is inaccurate: “island areas” misnames the inland areas, “turns on the leeward side” does not clearly express the change in moisture, and “the bottom” is vague for the air’s movement down the mountain. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision. Prefer established process language such as “descends,” “loses moisture” and “inland region.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including time clauses with “after which” and “Once,” and most of the sequence remains understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles and sentence construction. For example, “creation of rain-shadow desert” needs an article, while “reaches leeward side” also requires “the.” In “The moist air transformed into clouds causes the rain to fall,” the participle construction is awkward and makes the relationship between air, clouds and rainfall unclear. There is also an unnecessary repeated article in “the the bottom.” Aim to check article use and make each stage’s subject explicit; this would improve accuracy while retaining your range of sentence forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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