Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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 image depicts how rain-shadow desert created from a simple type of desert.

Overall, this process started when winds reach sea surface on coast and ends on other side of mountains where these dry winds approached inland areas. This air is transformed into clouds before going to peak. Subsequently, rain falls from clouds at top of mountains. However, whole process took thousands of kilometres to make rain-shadow desert.

First winds flowed over sea level and bend to upward where water and land meets meanwhile, air absorved some moisture in it. Continuously rose and get cooled after that clouds are formed and rain begins fell down from clouds after reaching upper side of mountains and all these processes happened on windward side of hills.

On other side, dry air move downward on leeward side. After that, these winds approach opposite side of sea which is inland areas. Finally, after covered long distance and lot of different steps from coast to Inland the rain-shadow deserts are take form.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching inland, and you identify the windward and leeward sides, rainfall, and the desert’s inland location. The overview also recognises the process’s beginning and end. This gives a generally accurate account, with enough key stages to meet the task well. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the air does not reach the mountain peak before clouds form; rather, moist air rises and cools, clouds form, and rain falls over the windward side. The statement that the winds approach the “opposite side of sea” also misrepresents the inland location. For a stronger response, describe the causal sequence more precisely and make the overview focus on moisture loss over the mountains and the resulting dry conditions inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by the windward stages and then the leeward stages. Sequencing expressions such as “First,” “After that,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. However, some links are mechanical or unclear, particularly “Continuously rose and get cooled after that clouds are formed,” where the relationship between stages is difficult to follow. The overview also repeats details that are explained later, while “However” does not express a clear contrast in that sentence. Use clearer sentence boundaries and more precise links between cause and result—for example, explain that moist air rises, cools, forms clouds, and produces rain before dry air descends on the other side.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moisture,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” “clouds,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps convey the diagram’s subject. There is also some variety in verbs such as “approached,” “transformed,” and “falls.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “created from a simple type of desert,” “bend to upward,” and “rain begins fell down.” “Sea level” is also not the right expression for winds moving across the sea. These choices sometimes make the process harder to interpret. Aim for standard process-description phrases such as “is formed,” “is forced upwards,” and “precipitation falls,” and check spelling and word forms such as “absorbed.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including clauses linked with “when,” “before,” and “after,” and the overall sequence can usually be understood. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to read. Examples include “rain-shadow desert created,” “winds reach,” “air absorved,” “clouds are formed,” and “the rain-shadow deserts are take form.” The long sentence beginning “Continuously rose” also lacks a clear subject and has faulty connections between clauses. Practise forming passive process sentences consistently—for example, “The moist air is forced upwards, where it cools and forms clouds”—and check that each clause has a subject and a correctly formed verb. This would improve accuracy while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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

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