Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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 diagram illustrates the formation of a special type of desert called rain-shadow desert. Due to the lack of rain and moisture land becomes desert. Here in below the total diagram is explained.

First of all, troppical warm wind a approach to the coast along with the water particles, those evaporate by the sunlights and high temparaturte. after that, while reach to the coastline mountain, winds pushed to the upward and gradually become cool. Which further helps to concentrate the water particles from the moisture air and become clouds. Then with the push of behind airflow clouds rise to the upper hill, after that rather passin the mountain, all the concentrated water falls as a rain into the windward side of the mountain. Rest of the dry wind continues to flow over the mountain and reach leeward side of the mountain. Which further flow through the inland area, which is more than thousands of kilometres from the coast.

For the reason of dry wind flow and no rain inland area become desert. As these desert form due to lack of moisture, it calls rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers the main sequence: winds approach the coast, rise over the mountains, cool, form clouds and produce rain on the windward side, while drier air crosses to the inland leeward area. The final link between dry conditions and desert formation is also stated, so the key process is recognisable. This meets the task well overall, but some details are unclear or not supported by the diagram. For example, the account introduces tropical warmth, evaporation by sunlight and water particles, none of which is shown, and it does not clearly explain that rising moist air cools before clouds form. The overview could more directly summarise the contrast between rainfall on the windward side and aridity inland.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The stages are presented in a broadly logical order, and the opening, process paragraph and concluding explanation give the response an overall structure. Sequencing expressions such as “First of all,” “after that” and “Then” help the reader follow the process. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and several links are unclear: “Which further helps” and “Which further flow” begin fragments rather than connecting complete ideas. The long middle paragraph also combines many stages, making the progression harder to track. Use clearer sentence boundaries and group the process into stages—for example, coastal uplift and rainfall, followed by the movement of dry air inland. More precise referencing would make the relationships between air, clouds and rain easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “moisture,” “windward side,” “leeward side,” “inland area” and “rain-shadow desert.” These terms show an attempt to describe the diagram specifically. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “water particles,” “push of behind airflow” and “concentrated water falls as a rain.” Spelling errors, including “troppical,” “temparaturte” and “passin,” are noticeable and reduce precision. Aim for standard process language and accurate forms, such as “moist air,” “is forced upwards,” “condenses” and “precipitation.” This would make the description more concise and natural while preserving the relevant technical vocabulary already attempted.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use complex clauses to explain cause and sequence, but control is inconsistent, and many sentences contain errors that make the relationships between stages difficult to understand. For instance, “while reach to the coastline mountain, winds pushed to the upward” lacks a clear subject and has faulty verb forms, while “Which further helps…” is an incomplete sentence. The opening process sentence also has problems with articles and agreement: “a approach” and “those evaporate.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are unreliable, particularly in the long process paragraph. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use consistent present simple passive forms for the diagram, such as “The air is forced upwards” and “Rain falls on the windward side.”

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