Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-30

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 gives the information about the process of forming a rian-shadow desert.

Several stages were involved during the process; from winds approach from coast to dry winds reach inland area and rain-shadow desert is therefore being formed.

At the first stage, winds approach coast on the windward side. Following this stage, winds were pushed upwards to the middle of the mountain. Sequently, moist air rises and cools. After this stage completed, clouds form, and when it reach senturation, rain falls at the summit of the mountain. Following up, moist air transformed into dry air and continued over the leeward side of the mountain. Dry air dropped from the mountain top to the bottom, and was converted into dry winds to reach inland areas. Finally, rain-shadow desert was then formed after a series of natural cycle.

In conclusion, the process of formimg a rain-shadow desert began with the winds approached coast on the windward side, and was completed after the moist air climbed over the mountain and transformed into dry winds a reach inland area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast through rainfall on the mountain to dry air reaching inland areas, and it identifies the windward and leeward sides. This gives the reader a relevant account of the process. However, some stages are less fully or clearly described: the overview does not explain the key contrast between rain falling on the windward side and the resulting dry conditions inland, and the final claim that the desert is formed “after a series of natural cycle” is vague. The description also adds details such as air dropping from the mountain top to the bottom, which are not clearly shown in the diagram. A more precise overview of how the mountain creates a dry rain-shadow region would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “At the first stage,” “Following this stage,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. The response also separates its opening, process description, and concluding statement into paragraphs. However, the linking is sometimes mechanical and repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “Following” and “After this stage.” The conclusion largely repeats the opening rather than adding a clear summary of the process’s defining outcome. Some references are also unclear: “when it reach” does not clearly identify what reaches saturation, and “Following up” is an awkward transition. Use fewer, more varied connectors and make each stage’s relationship to the next explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “summit,” and “inland areas,” which helps convey the diagram’s subject. It also attempts more specific terms such as “transformed” and “saturation.” However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “rian-shadow,” “Sequently,” “senturation,” and “formimg.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise, such as “winds approach coast” and “a series of natural cycle.” Aim for accurate spelling and natural collocations, and use the diagram’s labels consistently. For example, “winds approach the coast” and “a rain-shadow desert forms” are clearer and more idiomatic ways to describe the stages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the sequence “when it reach senturation, rain falls” and the concluding clause beginning “after the moist air climbed over the mountain.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. Tense shifts between present and past forms—for example, “winds approach” followed by “winds were pushed”—make the process description inconsistent. There are also errors in agreement and sentence construction, as in “when it reach” and “the winds approached coast.” The final sentence contains an incomplete or malformed connection in “dry winds a reach inland area.” Use the present simple consistently for a process diagram, check subject–verb agreement, and proofread articles and clause connections.

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