Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-03

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 natural process behind the formation of rain-shadow deserts and how wind spanning across thousands of kilometres can cause that.

Overall, winds approach the coast of the mountain which convert into clouds and rainfall as they move upwards. The rain is left behind on the top and the dry air carries forward which then reaches the inland areas. After which they create a rain-shadow desert.

Initially, the winds reach the coastside and are then pushed towards the windward side of the mountain. The moist air rises and cools down due to which clouds are formed. Once the clouds reach the peak, they burst and rainfall starts trickling down. This makes the top of the mountain quite wet.

Lastly, the rainfall stays at the mountain peak, allowing dry air to push through and go down the leeward side of the mountain. This dry wind continues down the bottom of the mountain towards the inland which then finally causes a rain-shadow desert.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers the main sequence accurately: coastal winds are forced upwards, moist air cools and forms clouds, rain falls on the mountain’s windward side, and dry air continues inland to create a rain-shadow desert. The overview also identifies the key contrast between the wet mountain side and the dry inland area. This is a strong account of the process, with relevant details such as the leeward side included. However, some descriptions are imprecise or go beyond what the diagram establishes: “the coast of the mountain” is not quite accurate, and saying the clouds “burst” or that rainfall “stays at the mountain peak” misrepresents the depicted precipitation. More precise reporting of the stages and locations would make the account more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by the earlier and later stages of the process. Sequencing expressions such as “Initially” and “Lastly” help the reader follow the diagram. However, some links are mechanical or unclear. “After which they create a rain-shadow desert” has an uncertain reference, and “The rain is left behind … and the dry air carries forward” compresses several stages in a way that weakens the progression. The final paragraph also repeats the idea that dry air moves inland. Use clearer links between each cause and result, and avoid repeating information already stated in the overview. This would make cohesion more controlled while preserving the logical structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for describing the process, and relevant terms such as “windward side,” “leeward side,” “moist air,” and “rain-shadow desert” show useful topic-specific range. Some less precise or unnatural choices limit the clarity of the description. “Coastside” is not a natural form here, “rainfall starts trickling down” is an informal and potentially misleading description, and “the clouds … burst” does not accurately describe rain forming and falling. “Wind spanning across thousands of kilometres” is also an awkward way to refer to the diagram’s scale. Choose more exact process language and natural collocations, such as winds “travel across” an area and precipitation “falls” on the windward side.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the relative clause in “which then finally causes a rain-shadow desert” and the time clause beginning “Once the clouds reach the peak.” The sequence remains understandable, but some grammatical choices make relationships unclear. In “the coast of the mountain which convert into clouds,” the relative clause has an unclear antecedent and “convert” does not agree with the singular noun it appears to refer to. “The rain is left behind on the top and the dry air carries forward” also lacks parallel, clearly expressed actions. The fragment-like opening “After which they create…” is not well integrated with the preceding sentence. Check clause attachment, subject–verb agreement, and sentence boundaries, while retaining the range of structures attempted.

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