Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-23

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 6.5)

The illustration shows the formation of rain-shadow deserts. Overall, the process involves seven major steps beginning from sea coast at the one end of the mountain to generating the rain-shadow desert at the other end of the mountain.

To commence, in the windward side of the mountain, the sea winds blew towards the mountain that pushes the air in upwards direction when hit by the coastal region. As it moves upwards, moisture in the air increases and temperature cools down leading to the formation of the clouds. Eventually, when the clouds are heavier holding the moisture it take the shape of water molecule and turn into rain fall.

In continuation, the rainfall on the windward side results in dry air in the leeward side. The dry air continues to blow over the mountains reaching the inland areas know as rain-shadow desert. These process take thousands of kilometer in distance from sea coast to opposite side of mountains inland area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You cover the main stages and give a clear overview that the process begins at the coast and ends with a rain-shadow desert inland. The sequence from winds approaching, rising and cooling, cloud formation and rainfall to dry air crossing the mountains is broadly accurate. You also identify the windward and leeward sides and mention the diagram’s large horizontal scale. This is a clear account of the process, although a few explanations are imprecise: for example, moisture does not “increase” as air rises; the moist air cools, leading to condensation and cloud formation. The description of rain forming as clouds become heavier and “turn into rain fall” is also less precise than the diagram. Clarifying these stages would make the explanation more fully developed and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction and overview followed by two paragraphs that move through the process in a logical order. Linking expressions such as “To commence,” “As it moves upwards,” and “In continuation” help signal progression, and the final sentence returns to the diagram’s scale. The reader can follow the overall sequence without difficulty. However, some transitions feel formulaic, and the second paragraph combines several stages in a long sentence, making the relationship between cooling, cloud formation and rainfall less clear. Use more direct sequencing language, such as “Next” and “As a result,” and separate the stages into clearer clauses. This would preserve the logical progression while making cohesion more flexible and precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “windward,” “leeward,” “moisture,” “rainfall,” and “inland areas,” which allows you to describe the diagram’s key features. Some less common terms are attempted, but several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward. For instance, “sea winds” is less precise than “moist winds from the sea,” and “turn into rain fall” does not naturally describe precipitation. “Know as” also contains a spelling error, while “inwards direction” and “opposite side of mountains inland area” are awkwardly expressed. Aim for accurate process terms such as “condenses,” “precipitation,” and “dry air descends”; these would improve precision without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “when the clouds are heavier” and a participial construction in “leading to the formation of the clouds.” However, some errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction remain. In “the sea winds blew … that pushes the air,” the past-tense “blew” conflicts with “pushes,” and the relative clause does not clearly refer to the intended subject. “It take the shape” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “These process take” has both agreement and number problems. Articles and prepositions are also sometimes missing or awkward, as in “in the windward side” and “from sea coast.” Use consistent present tense for a process diagram and check each clause for a clear subject and correctly matched verb.

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