Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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 illustrates the stages of how one type desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed because of winds, rain and dry air process at the mountain, which is expanded to thousands of kilometres.

Overall, the process consists of 7 steps, starting from one the side of mountain at sea coast then proceed to changings in wind to fall rain which moves the dry air to other side of mountain to form rain-shadow desert.

Initially, the winds approach at sea coast and the mountain pushed the the winds upward, the moist air rises and cools at the windward side of mountain. Due to this, the clouds are formed which moves further above at the top of mountain causing rain.

On the other hand, dry air starts to travel downward on the other side of mountain. This dry air comes down by crossing the Leeward side of the mountain, and reaches the inland areas of mountain at bottom which froms the rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give an overall summary: winds arrive from the sea, rise over the windward side, produce rain, and leave dry air to continue inland. These points match the diagram, and the response remains focused on the process. However, some stages are less fully and precisely reported. For example, the overview says the process starts “from one the side of mountain at sea coast,” which does not clearly identify the wind’s approach from the sea, and the final stage could state more directly that dry winds reach inland areas and create the rain-shadow desert. The reference to the process being “expanded to thousands of kilometres” also misinterprets the scale arrow, which indicates horizontal distance rather than expansion. A clearer overview and more exact stage descriptions would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the windward and leeward stages. The sequence is generally easy to follow, and “Initially” and “On the other hand” help signal movement through the process. However, some links are mechanical or do not express the relationship accurately. “On the other hand” suggests a contrast, whereas the dry-air movement is the next stage in the same process. In the overview, “which moves the dry air to other side” also makes the sequence difficult to interpret. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly “This dry air comes down,” where the preceding sentence could identify more precisely what is descending. Use simpler, more exact transitions and make each stage’s connection explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “Leeward side,” “inland areas,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which gives the account an appropriate subject-specific range. Some less common terms are attempted, but inaccurate word choice and collocation reduce precision: “expanded to thousands of kilometres” does not describe the scale shown, and “the mountain pushed the winds upward” is an awkward way to report the process. There are also word-form and spelling slips, such as “changings” and “froms.” These do not prevent the reader from understanding the main stages, but they make the description less natural. Aim for standard process collocations and check word forms and spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including cause-and-effect structures such as “Due to this, the clouds are formed which moves further above at the top of mountain causing rain.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For instance, “one type desert” is missing an article, while “the mountain pushed the the winds upward” has an incorrect verb form and a repeated article. In “the clouds are formed which moves,” the relative clause has unclear reference and agreement. Articles and prepositions are also inconsistent in phrases such as “at sea coast” and “other side of mountain.” More accurate sentence construction and clearer clause boundaries would improve control while retaining your attempts at complex forms.

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