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 DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATES THE FORMATION OF A ONE TYPE OF DESERT CALLED RAIN-SHADOW DESERT.

OVERALL, THERE ARE 7 STAGES IN THE WHOLE PROCESS IN MAKING THIS DESERT AND IT BEGINS WITH WINS APPROACH COAST AND ENDS WITH DRY WINDS REACH INLAND AREAS.

IT IS CLEAR FROM THE CHART THAT, THERE ARE MOUNTAINS INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF KILOMETRES AREAS. SEA AND COAST ARE ON THE ONE SIDE SIDE OF THE HILL, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS INLAND. IN THE BEGINNING, WINDS ARE INTEGRATED AT THE LOWER PART OF MAUNTAINS FROM THE SEA TO THE COAST. GRADUALLY, WINDS PUSHED IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS. AS A RESULT, THE MOISTURIZER OF AIR INCREASES AND IT GETS COOL IN THE WINDWARD DIRECTION. THEN, IT TURNS INTO CLOUDS AND STARTS RAINING.

FOLLOWING THIS, DRY AIR CONTINUES OVER MOUNTAIN AND IT CONTINUES ON THE LEEWARD SIDE. NEXT, DRY WINDS REACH INLAND AREAS. IN THE SUBSEQUENT STAGE, RAIN-SHADOW DESERT IS FORMED IN INLAND AREAS.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the diagram as a process and give a clear overview that it has seven stages, beginning with winds approaching the coast and ending with dry winds reaching inland areas. Most of the main sequence is included: air rises over the mountains, clouds form, rain falls, and dry air moves to the leeward side. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate. “Mountains including thousands of kilometres areas” misreads the scale marker, which indicates the horizontal distance shown, not the size of the mountains. The final claim that the desert is formed is relevant, but the explanation of how moist air cools and loses moisture is not clearly expressed. More precise coverage of these stages would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable progression: an introduction, an overview, and then a description that follows the process from the coast to inland areas. Sequencing phrases such as “In the beginning,” “Following this,” and “Next” help the reader track the stages, and the order is generally logical. This is a solid organisational foundation. However, the paragraphing is limited, and some links feel mechanical or do not clarify the relationship between ideas. For example, “As a result” introduces a sentence whose meaning is difficult to follow, while “In the subsequent stage” repeats the sequencing function of “Next.” Clearer grouping of the overview and process details, with more precise connections between cause and result, would improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “windward,” “leeward,” “moist,” “dry air,” and “rain-shadow desert,” which helps communicate the topic. There is also some attempt to vary wording through phrases such as “gradually” and “subsequent stage.” However, several inaccurate word choices or collocations make key points unclear: “winds are integrated” does not describe winds approaching the coast, and “moisturizer of air” is not an appropriate term for moisture in the air. “Thousands of kilometres areas” also misuses the scale label. These are more than isolated slips, so focus on accurate, natural process language rather than forcing less familiar expressions. Spelling errors such as “mauntains” further reduce precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including a sequence of clauses linked by “and” and “as a result.” The overall meaning of the process can usually be followed, but grammatical control is uneven. The opening phrase “the formation of a one type” has an article error, and “winds pushed in the upward direction” does not use a clear, accurate verb construction. In “there are mountains including thousands of kilometres areas,” the sentence structure obscures the intended relationship between the mountains and the scale. Some sentences also have awkward clause connections and punctuation, such as the comma after “chart.” Work on articles, verb forms, and building clear cause-and-effect sentences while retaining a mix of sentence patterns.

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