Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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 the process of building of a kind of a desert which is termed as a rain-shadow desert.

Overall the image shows how winds from the ocean go upwards and form clouds which later result into precipitation and rain once they reach hilly areas. Further, it also gives information about what happens to the land where only the dry air reaches.

The air flowing over the surface of the sea water carries moisture and it starts to go upwards from the coastal region. As the wind arrives at certain height it becomes cooler and keeps losing heat while attaining more elevation. At a certain altitude near the top of the mountain, the cooler air gets denser and forms clouds which eventually results into rainfall. Once the air looses moisture it moves downwards and appraoch the inland areas.

The process of constitution of clouds keeps happening on the windward face of the mountain and by the time clouds are formed the wind would already had travelled hundreds of kilometeres. But at the Leeward side of the hill the properties of air change dramatically as it does not carry any water vapours and hits the inland region with no precipitation which ultimately results into formation of rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give an overview of how moist sea air rises, produces rain on the windward side, and leaves dry air to reach inland areas. This addresses the task and shows some understanding of the process. However, a few details are unclear or not fully aligned with the diagram: the air is described as moving downwards after crossing the mountain, whereas the diagram only states that dry air continues over it; and “hundreds of kilometeres” conflicts with the diagram’s scale label of thousands of kilometres. The overview also says winds “form clouds” without clearly distinguishing cooling, cloud formation, and rainfall. More precise reporting of these stages and the windward/leeward contrast would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process and its inland effect. Sequencing expressions such as “As,” “Once,” and “by the time” help the reader follow the stages. The progression is generally logical, but some links are less precise: “Further, it also gives information” is a vague transition, and the final paragraph repeats cloud formation and rainfall rather than moving cleanly through the remaining stages. The reference in “the land where only the dry air reaches” is also somewhat unclear. To strengthen cohesion, organise the description strictly in diagram order and use concise links that show cause and sequence without repeating earlier information.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “moisture,” “precipitation,” “altitude,” and “windward face,” which helps describe the diagram. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “the properties of air change dramatically.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this process: “building of a kind of a desert,” “constitution of clouds,” and “the wind would already had travelled” do not express the intended meaning naturally. Spelling errors such as “looses,” “appraoch,” and “kilometeres” also reduce precision. Aim for standard process collocations, for example “formation of a desert,” “clouds form,” and “the air loses moisture,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning “As the wind arrives” and “Once the air…” This gives the description some variety, and the main meaning is usually clear. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in verb forms and sentence construction. For example, “the wind would already had travelled” should use a consistent tense and form, while “which eventually results into rainfall” has an awkward relative-clause construction. There are also agreement and article issues in phrases such as “the process of building of a kind of a desert.” Review past-tense consistency and subject–verb agreement, and simplify sentences when several stages are being joined. More consistently accurate complex sentences would improve control.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.