Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-28

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 explains the way in which a type of desert known as rain-shadow is formed in multiple stages.

Overall, the process consists of seven stages, beginning with sea from where the winds approaches toward coast and ending up with rain-shadow desert in Inland by covering thousands of kilometres.

First of all, The winds coming from sea approached towards coast. After that, winds pushed upwards towards the mountains. Next, the moist air rises towards Windward side and become cool for cloud formation. After that, Moist air is then converted into clouds through a clouds formation process and rain fall started at the top of the mountain after the formation of clouds.

In the next stage, after rainfall, dry air continues in downward direction towards Leeward side located at the other side of winward side. Next, dry winds reach inland areas by covering thousands of kilometres. Finally, the rain-shadow desert is formed in inland area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and give a clear overall account: winds move from the sea towards the coast, rise over the mountains, produce rain on the windward side, and continue as dry air towards the inland desert. This addresses the task, and the reference to the long inland distance reflects the diagram. Some stages, however, are less fully and precisely described. For example, the overview says the process ends with the desert “by covering thousands of kilometres,” which could suggest the desert itself covers that distance; the label instead indicates the horizontal scale. The account also repeats cloud formation and does not clearly explain that rising moist air cools before clouds form. Clarifying these relationships and distinguishing the stages would make the description more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs that follow the process from the coast to the inland area. Sequencing expressions such as “First of all,” “After that,” and “In the next stage” help readers follow the stages. However, the repeated use of “After that” and “Next” makes the linking somewhat mechanical, and the progression is less smooth where the same event is described twice: clouds are said to form through cooling and then again through “a clouds formation process.” Some references, including “the other side of winward side,” are also difficult to follow. Use a wider range of concise links and refer clearly to the windward and leeward slopes to strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “rainfall,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” and “inland areas,” which gives the description an adequate range for this diagram. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “pushed upwards” and “rain-shadow desert.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, however: “winds approaches toward coast” is awkward, “converted into clouds” is not a natural description of cloud formation, and “covering thousands of kilometres” is imprecise in context. Spelling is also inconsistent in “winward.” Aim for natural process collocations and use the diagram’s labels accurately; this will improve precision without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the opening clause “The diagram explains the way in which…” and the sequence “after rainfall, dry air continues…”. The meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. Tense shifts between “approached,” “rises,” “become,” and “started” make the process description inconsistent; use the present simple throughout. There are also agreement and article errors in “the winds approaches toward coast” and “a clouds formation process,” as well as a missing article in “towards coast.” Capitalisation after sentence breaks is inconsistent, as in “The winds” and “Moist air.” More consistent verb forms and careful checking of agreement, articles, and sentence punctuation would improve accuracy.

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