Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 process by which a rain-shadow deserts is formed.

Overall, the winds keep pushing upwards on the mountains and form clouds. These clouds cause a rain at the top of the mountains after which the dry winds move downwards and ultimately after travelling thousands of kilometers, reach the inland to form rain-shadow deset.

As the winds approach coast and come in contact with the sea, they are pushed upwards on windward side of the mountains. After that, the moist air keeps on rising and after obtaining a certain height, it gets transformed into clouds. At the mountain peaks, these clouds cause a rain which causes the air to become dry.

Once the air has dried after the rain, it starts moving downward on leeward side of the mountain. As these winds keep on descending, they ultimately reach inland areas and over there they lead to the formation of rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and provide an overview: moist coastal air rises over the windward slope, rain falls, and drier air travels inland to create the desert. This captures the diagram’s central cause-and-effect process. Some details, however, are less fully or precisely reported. The diagram shows winds approaching from the sea, being forced upwards by the mountains, then continuing over the mountain to the leeward side; your account says they move “downwards” but does not clearly explain that they cross the mountain. Also, “after obtaining a certain height, it gets transformed into clouds” is imprecise: the air cools as it rises, leading to cloud formation. Clarifying these stages and the windward/leeward contrast would make the summary more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by the rising-air stages and then the movement of dry air inland. Time and sequence markers such as “After that,” “Once,” and “ultimately” help the reader follow the process, and the paragraphing supports this progression. Some links are slightly repetitive or less exact, particularly the repeated use of “after” and “ultimately,” and the overview’s “after which” construction makes the sequence feel compressed. You could improve cohesion by using a wider range of precise process links, such as “as a result” or “on the leeward side,” and by ensuring each reference clearly identifies whether it means the air, winds, or clouds.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “mountain peaks,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which allows you to describe the diagram’s key features. There is also some variety in expressions for movement, such as “approach,” “rising,” and “descending.” However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise or awkward: “winds keep pushing upwards on the mountains” and “obtaining a certain height” do not describe the process naturally, while “cause a rain” is not idiomatic. Spelling errors in “deset” and “kilometers” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process language, for example, “winds are forced up the mountain slope” and “the air cools and condenses.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including the overview sentence with “after which” and the conditional-time clause “Once the air has dried after the rain.” These structures help explain a sequence, and the meaning remains clear overall. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles, agreement, and prepositions. For example, “a rain-shadow deserts” should be “a rain-shadow desert,” “a rain” should be “rain,” and “approach coast” needs “the coast.” The sentence “they are pushed upwards on windward side” also needs an article and a more accurate prepositional construction. Review articles with singular countable nouns and check agreement and sentence patterns when describing each stage.

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

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