Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The given diagram illustrates the formation of rain-shadow desert. It is a particular type of a desert.

Overall the diagram demonstrates how moist air travels from sea and gets coverted into dry air which results in the formation of rain-shadow desert, step by step. It also explains the critical role of mountains during this cycle.

The wind from the sea or coast reaches the coast and ascends the mountain eventually cooling and forming clouds which results in rainfall at mountain tops. This side of mountain is known as windward side as wind is rising upwards here.

After that wind descends the mountain, the air is dry at this point because it has lost its moisture in form of rainfall. Then this dry air reaches the inland areas finally. As a consequence of this rain-shadow deserts are created. The side of the mountain along which dry air descends is known Leeward side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the main stages and gives a clear overview: moist air moves from the sea, rises over the mountains, cools and produces rain, after which dry air reaches inland and creates the desert. It also correctly identifies the windward and leeward sides, so the key process is accurately represented. To make the account more fully developed, report the sequence with slightly greater precision: the diagram distinguishes winds approaching the coast, being forced upwards, and then continuing over the mountain as dry air. The phrase “rainfall at mountain tops” is a little too specific, since the diagram places rain above the windward slope and peak. Overall, the main features are selected and explained clearly, with only minor scope for more precise detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence, moving from an introduction and overview to the windward stage and then the leeward and inland stages. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “After that,” “Then,” and “As a consequence” help the reader follow the process. The paragraphing also separates the overview from the detailed account. Some connections could be more exact: “The wind from the sea or coast reaches the coast” repeats the location and makes the starting point less clear, while “After that wind descends the mountain” moves quickly from rainfall to descent without explicitly signalling that the air has crossed the peak. More precise referencing and transitions would make the progression smoother, but the overall organisation is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

There is a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “ascends,” “moisture,” “rainfall,” “windward,” and “leeward,” and these terms help describe the diagram. The writer also uses relevant cause-and-effect language, such as “because” and “As a consequence.” However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise or awkward: “coverted” is misspelled, “rain-shadow desert” would usually take an article in the opening, and “wind from the sea or coast” is not a natural description of the source. “In form of rainfall” is also less idiomatic than “in the form of rain.” Greater accuracy with these phrases, alongside the effective technical vocabulary already used, would make the description more fluent and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “the air is dry at this point because it has lost its moisture” and a result clause beginning “which results in.” Most meanings remain clear. Some grammatical inaccuracies persist, particularly with articles and sentence construction: “formation of rain-shadow desert” needs an article or plural form, “a particular type of a desert” has an unnecessary article, and “The side of the mountain … is known Leeward side” is missing “as the.” The sentence beginning “The wind from the sea or coast reaches the coast” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between its repeated locations. More consistent article use and careful checking of sentence patterns would improve accuracy while retaining the current range.

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