Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-13

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)

There are various types of deserts in this world. One of the types of desert is called Rain-Shadow deserts. It is formed through the natural process of winds which carry moisture when it approaches the coast, brings in heavy rainfall then passed dry air over the mountain that results to the formation of rain-shadow desert.

The diagram given in the above question shows a detailed image of the formation of rain-shadow desert. According to the diagram, winds approach the coast from the sea and collide with the mountains. Thus, leading to winds being pushed upwards and as these winds ascend upwards it carries moisture and forms clouds. This results in rainfall once it has reached the peak of the mountains. As moisture is released through rainfall, dry winds continue to flow over the mountain. Soon the dry air descends and reaches the inland area where the rain-shadow desert gets formed.

Thus, this portrays the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers the main sequence accurately: winds arrive from the sea, rise over the mountains, cool and form clouds, produce rain, and continue inland as dry air. The final location of the rain-shadow desert is also identified. This gives the reader a relevant account of the process. However, some stages are less fully explained: the description does not clearly distinguish the windward and leeward sides, and it omits the diagram’s indication that the dry winds travel thousands of kilometres inland. The opening also adds general background about desert types rather than focusing immediately on the process. A more precise overview of the contrast between rainfall on the windward side and arid conditions beyond the leeward side would make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement, moving from an introduction to the sequence of events and then a brief conclusion. Connectors such as “Thus,” “As,” and “Soon” help show cause and sequence, and the stages are generally presented in a sensible order. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, particularly with repeated references to “winds,” “mountains,” and “rain-shadow desert.” The opening sentence about desert types does not contribute much to the progression, while the final “Thus” sentence simply repeats the purpose of the description. Organising the process into a concise overview followed by a clearly sequenced account, and using more precise references such as “this air” or “the leeward side,” would improve flow and reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for describing the process, and the response uses relevant terms such as “moisture,” “ascend,” “rainfall,” and “inland.” These choices communicate the main stages, although some wording is imprecise or repetitive. For example, “winds approach the coast … brings in heavy rainfall” does not describe the process naturally, and “results to the formation” is an awkward collocation. “Rain-Shadow deserts” is also capitalised inconsistently, and “winds” is repeated where “air” or “air currents” could add variety. More accurate process vocabulary, including “orographic uplift,” “condenses,” and “leeward,” would allow a more precise account while retaining clear, accessible language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts both simple and complex sentences, including a cause-and-effect structure beginning “As moisture is released through rainfall.” Most of the sequence remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. In “winds … brings in heavy rainfall,” the plural subject does not agree with “brings”; the sentence also shifts awkwardly from “approaches” to “passed.” The construction “Thus, leading to winds being pushed upwards” is a fragment, and “as these winds ascend upwards it carries moisture” has a pronoun-agreement problem. The sentence beginning “The diagram given in the above question” is also unnecessarily cumbersome. Aim for complete sentences with consistent subjects and verb forms, and check agreement when a plural noun is followed by a pronoun or verb.

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

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