Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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 given process chart illustrates the information regarding how one type of desert, know as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.

Overall, it is vivid that the process contain 7 stages. Starting with the wind approach coast, to rain falls, and ending with dry winds reached inland areas.

To start with, the wind cross sea water and approached to the coast area. Then, it pushed upwards to the mountain and miost air rises and cools when it reached to the windward side. After that, the air was converted into the clouds and after some time it falls down in the form of rain at the top.

Moving on, rain falls down to the other side of windward is called leeward side in the form of dry air and fallls continues over mountain. After that, dry winds reach inland areas which was in the down side of the mountain and its called rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers the main sequence and gives an overall summary that the process has seven stages, beginning with winds approaching the coast and ending with dry winds reaching inland areas. It also identifies the windward and leeward sides and links the inland area to the rain-shadow desert. However, some stages are described unclearly or inaccurately: rain is said to fall “at the top,” and the account of dry air continuing over the mountain is confused with rain falling on the leeward side. The diagram’s key cause-and-effect pattern—moist air rises and rains on the windward side, leaving dry air to travel inland—is therefore only partly explained. Make this contrast explicit and describe the stages more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the process in sequence. Connectors such as “To start with,” “Then,” and “Moving on” help the reader follow the stages, and the progression from coast to inland is generally apparent. This is a solid organisational foundation. However, some links are mechanical or unclear, particularly “Starting with the wind approach coast, to rain falls,” and the final paragraph shifts between rain, dry air, and the leeward side without clearly showing their relationships. Use complete overview sentences and connect each stage through cause and effect, rather than relying mainly on “after that.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds,” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the topic is recognisable. It also attempts to describe movement and change. However, the range and control of vocabulary are limited, and several choices or forms are inaccurate: “process chart” is less suitable than “process diagram,” “converted into the clouds” does not express cloud formation naturally, and “down side” is imprecise. Spelling slips such as “know,” “miost,” and “fallls” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise set of process verbs and collocations, such as “is forced upwards,” “condenses,” and “precipitation falls.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is an attempt to use both simple sentences and longer sequences, and the reader can usually identify the intended order. However, the range of structures is limited, and errors occur in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “the process contain 7 stages” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “Starting with the wind approach coast, to rain falls” is not a complete, well-formed sentence. Tense also shifts between present and past, as in “winds approach” and “approached.” Some clauses, including “which was in the down side,” are difficult to interpret. Use the present simple consistently and check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb.

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