Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the formation of a rain-shadow desert.

Overall, this linear process consists of 7 steps, beginning with approaching wind to the coast and ends when the wind reaches the inland areas.

Initially, the wind coming from the sea approches the coast, which pushed upwards unto the mountain. Then, the moist air rises and cools in the windward side, where the cloud forms. Once the cloud darkens and heavies, the rain starts to pour, which is called precipitation. Afterwards, at the peak of the mountain, the dry air flows to the Leeward side and reaches the inland areas, where the rain-shadow desert forms. This formation takes thousands of kilometres to occur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the diagram as a process and give its broad direction, from winds approaching the coast to dry air reaching inland. However, the account is only partial: it does not clearly explain that air is forced up the windward slope, cools, forms clouds and produces rain before continuing over the mountain as dry air on the leeward side. The overview says there are seven steps but does not summarise the key contrast between the wet windward side and the dry inland rain-shadow area. The claim that the desert “forms” where the wind reaches inland is also more definite than the diagram shows. The response is 112 words, below the required 150, so several stages and their relationships remain underdeveloped. Include a fuller overview and describe each main stage accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is easy to follow because it moves in the same order as the process, using a clear opening, an overview and a chronological body paragraph. Sequencing expressions such as “Initially,” “Then,” “Once” and “Afterwards” help the reader track the stages. This logical progression is a strength. To make the organisation more effective, separate the overview from a fuller account of the stages and use links that clarify cause and result, rather than relying mainly on time markers. For example, explain that cooling leads to cloud formation and rainfall, and that the air becomes dry after losing moisture on the windward side. The final sentence about thousands of kilometres feels appended; connect it more clearly to the diagram’s horizontal scale.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “windward side,” “precipitation,” “peak” and “inland areas.” These terms show awareness of the topic and allow the main sequence to be understood. There are occasional spelling and collocation problems, however: “approches” is misspelled, “heavies” is not the appropriate form here, and “the cloud darkens and heavies” is not a natural description of the diagram. “Unto the mountain” is also an awkward choice. Aim for precise, neutral process language rather than adding details not shown, such as clouds darkening. Phrases such as “clouds form,” “rain falls” and “dry air continues over the mountain” would be both accurate and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the wind coming from the sea … which pushed upwards” and a time clause beginning “Once.” The overall meaning remains understandable, but some errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction reduce accuracy. In the overview, “consists … beginning … and ends” does not maintain a consistent grammatical pattern; use “consists of seven steps, beginning … and ending …”. In “which pushed upwards,” the verb form and reference are unclear; “which is pushed upwards” would express the process more accurately. “The cloud … heavies” also has an incorrect verb form. Check that clauses have clear subjects and that verbs agree with them, while retaining the useful range of sentence structures you are attempting.

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.