Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

This process diagram illustrates the formation of rain shadow desert. Firstly, the process begans when the winds approaches the coast from the seaside moving all the way towards the mountains. Secondly, winds rise a little upwards in the direction of inclination. Thirdly, the moist air rises above and gets cool down, as a result clouds are formed. Afterward those clouds containing that moist air start to rain down above the Windward side. In contrast, the dry air keeps moving in the upward direction from one side to other. The dry air reaches the peak of mountain and starts to decline towards the Leeward side of the mount. It keeps on going down until it gets to the inland area. Futhermore these dry winds approach the non-coastal side. Overthere the rain shadow desert is formed on the opposite side of the coast behind the hills. The coast and interior regions are thousands of kilometers away from each other as the massif covers a large area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You describe the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching inland, and you correctly identify rainfall on the windward side and the desert beyond the leeward side. However, the account is not always precise: “winds rise a little upwards” does not clearly explain that the mountains force them upward, and the overview of how the process creates the desert is left until the end rather than stated clearly at the outset. The final claim that the coast and interior are thousands of kilometres apart because the massif covers a large area is not established by the diagram; the scale label indicates distance, but does not support that explanation. Clarify the causal stages and avoid adding unsupported details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Afterward” help the reader follow the process. The contrast between the wet windward side and the dry leeward side is also useful. However, the repeated ordinal transitions make the account somewhat mechanical, and some links between stages are unclear. For example, “In contrast, the dry air keeps moving in the upward direction” does not clearly signal the transition from rainfall to air crossing the mountain. The response is also one continuous paragraph, so grouping the overview separately from the detailed sequence would improve organisation. Use a wider range of natural links to show cause and result.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “clouds,” “Windward side,” “Leeward side,” and “inland area,” which makes the topic clear. There is also some attempt at more specific language, such as “inclination” and “massif,” although these choices are not always natural or accurate in context. Several phrases are repetitive or imprecise: “moving all the way towards,” “keeps on going down,” and “non-coastal side” could be expressed more concisely and precisely. Spelling errors such as “Futhermore” and “Overthere” also reduce accuracy. Aim for standard geographical collocations, for example “air rises over the mountain range” and “rain-shadow desert,” rather than less suitable substitutes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a cause-and-effect construction in “as a result clouds are formed” and a relative clause in “clouds containing that moist air.” The sequence is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. In “the process begans when the winds approaches,” the verb forms do not agree with their subjects; “the process begins when the winds approach” would be correct. “Gets cool down” combines incompatible verb patterns, while “the dry air keeps moving in the upward direction from one side to other” has missing articles. There are also awkward tense and sentence-pattern choices in “starts to decline” and “until it gets to the inland area.” Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb patterns, and use passive forms where they describe stages naturally.

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