Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-02

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 6.5)

The schematic diagram depicts the various steps involved in the formation of rain-shadow deserts.

Overall, the process includes evaporation of water droplets from the ocean ,cloud formation, raining , wind currents over different altitudes of the mountain and formation of the rain-shadow desert.

According to the illustration, the wind currents flow over the coastal areas of the ocean. Afterwards, the wind absorbs moisture from the ocean and start moving upward towards the Windward side of the mountain. As the wind blows upward its temprature declines and it converts into clouds. The clouds formation leads to showering of the rain at high altitudes of the mounatin. Afterwards, the moisture deprived air starts moving towards the Leeward side of the mountain.Dry wind continues moving untill it reaches thousand kilometers away from the ocean on the opposite side of the mountain, Finally, when it reaches the inland areas ,it results in the production of rain-shadow desert .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response gives a clear account of the main sequence, from winds approaching the coast to rain falling on the mountain and dry air reaching inland, and it includes an overall summary. The explanation of rising air cooling and producing clouds, followed by precipitation on the windward side, captures the central mechanism. However, the overview introduces evaporation, which is not shown in the diagram, and says the process includes “formation of” the desert without clearly explaining that the rain shadow results from dry winds continuing beyond the leeward side. The reference to “thousand kilometers” also treats the scale as a precise distance, whereas the diagram indicates a horizontal span of thousands of kilometres. Keep the summary closely tied to the labelled stages and clarify the cause-and-effect relationship.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a sensible sequence: an introduction, an overview, and then a chronological description of the stages. Linking expressions such as “Afterwards” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process, and the progression from the coast to the inland desert is generally clear. Some connections are less precise, however. “Afterwards” is repeated, and the long final sequence combines several stages without enough punctuation, making the transition from rain to dry air and then to the desert less smooth. The overview also groups several features together rather than highlighting the process’s main contrast between the rainy windward side and the dry leeward side. Use a wider range of concise links and separate the stages more clearly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “moisture,” “upward,” “altitudes,” “moisture deprived,” and “inland areas,” which allows the stages to be described with some specificity. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “the schematic diagram depicts.” Some choices are inaccurate or awkward: “evaporation of water droplets” does not describe the diagram, “the wind absorbs moisture” is less natural than saying it picks up moisture, and “production of rain-shadow desert” is an unnatural collocation. Spelling errors such as “temprature,” “mounatin,” and “untill” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process terms and check spelling, word forms, and natural collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mix of sentence forms, including a complex explanation beginning “As the wind blows upward” and a sequence of linked stages. The main meaning is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the wind … start moving” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the clouds formation leads to showering of the rain” has an awkward grammatical construction. Missing spaces after full stops and commas, as in “mountain.Dry” and “areas ,it,” also affect punctuation. Articles and phrasing need attention in expressions such as “formation of the rain-shadow desert.” Practise building accurate clauses around each stage, and proofread agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries; this will make the process description clearer and more controlled.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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