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 given image demostrate the stages involve in the formation of rain-shadow desert.

Overall the process involve 7 stages on the area of thousands of kilometres from winds approach coast to dry wind reach inland area.

The process begin from the winds started to apprach coast then these winds pushed upward to the mountain side as the winds rises upwards the air started to get more moist and cool, as the moist air go upward crossing the area of windward side it begin for form clouds.

When the clouds already formed they started to rain on the peak of mountain. the moisture from the cloulds are falling in the form of rain, the dry air started to travel to the other side of mountain towards the leeward side as the dry winds reaches the inland area. when the dry air reaches the inland area that form what we call rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from winds approaching the coast to the formation of the inland rain-shadow desert, and your overview identifies the seven stages and the broad distance involved. The account also includes the key contrast between rain falling on the mountain’s windward side and dry air continuing towards the leeward side. However, some stages are not fully or accurately explained: the air rises and cools, but you say it becomes “more moist,” whereas the diagram shows moisture being lost as rain. The description of the mountain’s role and the transition from rainfall to dry air could also be clearer. A more precise account of how these stages cause aridity inland would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and then a chronological description of the process. This makes the sequence reasonably easy to follow, and phrases such as “then” and “as” help connect stages. However, the final paragraph contains several stages in one long sentence, so the links between rainfall, the air crossing the mountain, and the desert’s formation become less clear. Some references, such as “they” and “that,” could also be more precise. Separate the windward and leeward stages into shorter sentences, and use a few clear transitions such as “after this” or “on the leeward side” to improve progression without making the linking mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” “clouds,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which gives the description an appropriate subject-specific range. The meaning is generally understandable, although some word choices and spelling errors reduce precision: “more moist” does not match the diagram’s loss of moisture, and “started to rain” is less exact than describing precipitation. There are also misspellings such as “demostrate,” “apprach,” and “cloulds.” Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling carefully; terms such as “precipitation,” “condenses,” and “arid” could help describe the process more precisely when used correctly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, particularly through clauses beginning with “as” and “when,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries make the account less controlled. For example, “The process begin” should be “The process begins,” while “the winds started to apprach coast” needs an article and a consistent verb form. The final paragraph also joins several independent ideas with commas, and “the dry air … that form” has an agreement problem. Practise keeping the process description in the present simple and divide long sentences into complete, accurately punctuated units.

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.