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 given diagram illustrates the formation of one kind of desert, that is called rain- shadow desert.

Overall, there are seven stages in the formation of rain-shadow desert that is started by coastal winds that cover thousands of kilometres from one coastal side of the mountains to other side. It make clouds and become the reason of pouring. Then, the dry winds reach the inland areas of the mountains and make rain-shadow desert.

The process begins when the winds approach on the coast of the sea. Then, the winds push upward and moisture is added in it and it becomes cooled to make clouds that becomes the reason of pouring on the top of the mountains.

However, when winds blow on the leeward side, it becomes dry wind that continues over mountains. Finally, dry winda reach the inland area by covering thousands of kilometres, it forms rain-shadow desert at the lower side of the mountains.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the process as the formation of a rain-shadow desert and give a useful overview of its seven stages, including the movement from coastal winds to dry inland winds. The main sequence is mostly represented: air rises, cools, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air continues beyond the mountains. This covers the task well, while some details are less fully or clearly explained. For example, the description does not clearly state that moisture is lost through rainfall on the windward side, which explains why the air becomes dry on the leeward side. The claim that winds cover thousands of kilometres is grounded in the diagram, but its placement in the overview makes the process relationship unclear. More precise explanation of these links would strengthen the account.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a description of the stages in sequence. Connectors such as “Overall,” “Then,” “However,” and “Finally” help guide the reader through the process. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and some references are unclear. In “It make clouds and become the reason of pouring,” the pronoun “It” does not clearly identify whether it refers to the wind, moisture, or the process. The overview also combines several stages in a long sentence, making the sequence harder to follow. Use clearer links between cause and result, and organise the stages into shorter, logically connected sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “formation,” “coastal,” “leeward side,” “inland areas,” and “rain-shadow desert,” so the topic is generally clear. There are also attempts to describe change, such as “push upward” and “continues over mountains.” However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive: “the reason of pouring” is an awkward way to describe rainfall, and “moisture is added in it” does not accurately express the air becoming moist. “Rain-shadow desert” is also repeated frequently. Spelling and word-form slips, including “winda,” further reduce control. Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “air rises,” “cools,” and “precipitation falls.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses linked with “when” and “that,” but control is uneven. Agreement errors appear in “It make clouds” and “clouds that becomes,” while “that is started by coastal winds” uses an awkward passive construction. The sentence beginning “Finally, dry winda reach…” joins two independent ideas with a comma, creating a run-on sentence. There are also problems with articles and prepositions in phrases such as “approach on the coast” and “over mountains.” These errors sometimes make relationships between stages less clear. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries, and use a wider range of structures with more reliable control.

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