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 process diagram depicts how a certain type of desert, namely a rain-shadow desert formation is created.

Overall, the formation is composed of seven processes, from the sea wind approaching the coast to finally dry winds to reach inland areas in the end. The main manifacture is the winds that following the sea surface to reach the massive mountains.

It first starts with winds from the sea approaching the coast which is pushed upward once it hit mountains. The wind then becomes humid and cools as it travels to the windward side. Next, it forms to clouds and produces rain falls once it reaches the top of the mountain. That being said, dry cold air proceeds to descend gradually, over the Leewards side of the mountains. Finally, when dry winds follows downward trajectory and touch inland areas it forms up rain-shadow desert. The process of the formation of rain-shadow desets from the beginning to end takes up thousands of kilometres to cover.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give an overview that identifies the process as seven stages, from winds approaching the coast to dry winds reaching inland areas. The account also includes the key outcome: the rain-shadow desert forms inland. These details address the task well. Some stages, however, are not fully accurate or clear: the air is described as becoming “humid” after rising, whereas the diagram says moist air rises and cools; and the descent of dry air is not shown, only its continuation over the mountain. The final reference to thousands of kilometres is relevant, but could be stated more precisely as the horizontal scale. A more exact account of these features would make the summary more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological description using “It first starts,” “Next,” and “Finally.” This makes the process easy to follow, and the stages are generally presented in the correct order. Some linking is mechanical or awkward, however, as in “That being said,” which suggests contrast rather than the next stage, and “from the beginning to end” repeats the sequence idea already given. The overview sentence also contains an unclear relationship between the winds and the mountains. Use simpler, more precise transitions and ensure each sentence connects directly to the preceding stage; this would make the progression smoother and cohesion less noticeable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “Leewards side,” “humid,” and “trajectory,” showing an attempt to describe the diagram with some variety. However, several word choices and forms are inaccurate or unnatural: “main manifacture” does not express the main mechanism, “forms to clouds” is not an appropriate collocation, and “desets” is misspelled. “Rain falls” is also used awkwardly in “produces rain falls.” These errors make parts of the description less precise, even though the general meaning remains understandable. Focus on accurate collocations and standard process terms, such as “clouds form,” “precipitation falls,” and “the main mechanism,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview and the sequence of clauses describing rising air, cloud formation, and rainfall. The main stages can generally be understood, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “winds … which is pushed upward” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “once it hit mountains” shifts tense and omits an article. In “when dry winds follows,” the plural subject does not agree with the verb, and “to finally dry winds to reach” is an awkward infinitive construction. Aim to keep subjects and verbs aligned and use consistent present tense for a process: “the winds are pushed upwards” and “dry winds reach inland areas.”

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