Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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 formation of rain-shadow deserts, commencing from winds approach to the coast and ending at dry winds reached inland areas.

Looking at the details, the formation of rain-shadow deserts started when winds from sea reach at the coast areas. In the next step, the winds pushed upwards to the windward side of mountains and then air become cools and moist in air is increased and form into clouds. Furthermore, the rain falls at the peak of mountains. Thereafter, the dry air moves over the mountains towards leeward side. After that, the dry air moves downward and then dry winds reach inland areas and and create the land into Rain-shadow desert. The winds travel thousand of kilometres to reach at last step and create the rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, The formation of the rain- shadow desert consists of seven steps. starting from the winds reaching at coast line. Thereafter, it pushed upwards and form into clouds. After rains falls the dry air moves downward and create Rain-shadow desert at ground.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from winds arriving at the coast to dry winds reaching inland, and you identify the windward and leeward sides, rainfall, and the desert’s inland location. This gives the reader a generally accurate account of the process. However, some stages are less clearly explained: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form, whereas “air become cools and moist in air is increased” makes that relationship difficult to follow. The overview also repeats several steps rather than clearly summarising the key contrast: rain falls on the windward side, while dry air crosses the mountains and creates arid conditions inland. Clarifying that cause-and-effect relationship would make the main features more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has an identifiable sequence, supported by transitions such as “In the next step,” “Furthermore,” and “Thereafter.” The reader can follow the broad movement from the coast, over the mountains, and towards inland areas. However, the overview comes after the detailed account, and it largely repeats information already given instead of providing a concise summary at the start. Some linking is mechanical, with several stages introduced by “After that” or “Thereafter,” and the reference in “Thereafter, it pushed upwards” is unclear. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a clearly ordered description, and use transitions that show cause and sequence without repeating the same pattern.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “peak,” and “inland areas,” and the topic remains clear. There is also an attempt to describe movement with phrases such as “moves over the mountains” and “moves downward.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, however: “winds from sea reach at the coast areas” and “create the land into Rain-shadow desert” are not natural descriptions. “Rain-shadow desert” is also capitalised inconsistently. Aim for precise process language and natural combinations, such as winds “arrive from the sea,” air “crosses the mountain range,” and conditions “lead to the formation” of a desert.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer sequences joined with “and,” “when,” and “then,” so there is some variety in sentence structure. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction occur in several places. For example, “winds from sea reach” needs an article and consistent tense, while “air become cools” combines incompatible verb forms. The clause “moist in air is increased and form into clouds” is also difficult to parse, and “and and create” contains an unnecessary repetition. Use the present simple consistently for a process, check subject–verb agreement, and separate stages into complete, controlled clauses.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.