Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram above shows the formation of desert named rain-shadow in different stages. As shown in diagram, there is a mountain with Windward side on his left and Leeward side on it's right and moutain is thousands of kilometres.

Firstly, when wind is blowing from the sea towards coast. Because of moutains, winds goes toward upward direction where air becomes moist and it cools down. Then, wind is blowing in upward direction it continues towards the windward side where formation of clouds occur. Slowly, different sizes of cloud are formed. When clouds reaches the maximum point of the mountain, rain starts to fall.

After raining, air becomes dry. Moving on, dry air continues to move over. moutain and comes in downward direction in Leeward side. After that, dry air reaches inland area where Rain-shadow desert is formed.

To sum up, there are total of 7 steps in forming the rain-shadow deserts. Wind moving to upwards direction from the coast side of the mountain and then going in downward direction reaching Inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence accurately: winds arrive from the sea, rise and cool, clouds form, rain falls on the mountain’s windward side, and dry air travels inland to create the desert. The overview that there are seven steps and that air moves upward before descending also identifies the process’s broad pattern. However, some details are less fully or clearly reported. For example, “the mountain is thousands of kilometres” misreads the diagram: the label indicates the horizontal distance covered, not the mountain’s size. The account also says the air becomes “moist” as it rises, whereas the diagram identifies it as moist air that rises and cools. Clarifying these points and distinguishing the windward and leeward effects would make the summary more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall progression, with an introduction, a sequence of stages, and a concluding summary. Time and sequence markers such as “Firstly,” “Then,” “After raining,” and “After that” help the reader follow the process, and the paragraphs broadly group the stages sensibly. This meets the lower-band expectations securely and shows some of the flexibility associated with stronger organisation. However, several links feel mechanical or repeat the same movement: “wind is blowing in upward direction” is followed by another description of upward movement. The final “To sum up” repeats the sequence rather than adding a concise overview. Improve cohesion by grouping related stages and using clearer references, such as “As this moist air rises…” and “On the leeward side…”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “formation,” “clouds,” “rain,” “dry air,” “inland,” and the labels “Windward side” and “Leeward side.” These terms make the subject understandable, and there is some attempt to describe movement with phrases such as “continues to move over.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward, including “desert named rain-shadow,” “different sizes of cloud,” and “air becomes moist.” Spelling errors such as “moutain” also reduce precision. Aim for accurate collocations and a wider set of process verbs—for example, “a rain-shadow desert,” “clouds gather,” and “air descends”—rather than repeating “wind” and “move.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a cause-and-effect construction beginning “Because of mountains” and a sequence using “When clouds…”. The stages remain generally understandable, but grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors occur in basic sentence patterns as well as longer clauses. Examples include “winds goes” instead of “winds go,” “clouds reaches” instead of “clouds reach,” and “when wind is blowing from the sea towards coast,” which needs an article and a complete main clause. There are also problems with possessives and punctuation in “on his left” and “over. moutain.” Practise subject–verb agreement, articles, and complete sentence boundaries, then check each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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

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