Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-04

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 flow chart describes the formation procedure of rain shadow desert. It undergoes seven major and minor steps starting from winds reaching out the coast to dry winds approaching the destination of inland areas.

Firstly, over the sea, winds start to blow from coast, changing the direction to upward along the mountains, mix up with the moist air in third step. Following the series of steps, after cloud formation, it starts to rain in fifth step at the peak of mountains.

After rainfall, dry air continues to blow but this time in downward position from the peak towards inland areas. By crossing Leeward side when it reaches to the bottom of mountains, now named as dry winds, it enters into the inland areas resulting in making of desert called as rain shadow desert.

So, this was the overall sequential flow of how rain shadow desert forms from the winds over the sea ,following rainfall at peak of mountains, to dry winds on reaching out the inland.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence and identify the key contrast: moist air rises and produces rain on the windward side, while dry air crosses the mountains and reaches the inland rain-shadow desert. The opening and closing sentences also frame the process clearly. However, some stages are less fully explained: the diagram specifically shows the moist air rising and cooling before clouds form, but this cooling is not clearly reported. The description of the initial winds is also unclear, and the account could better explain that the mountains force the air upwards. To strengthen the overview and detail, state the cause-and-effect relationship explicitly and distinguish the windward and leeward sides throughout. This would make the process more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall progression, moving from the sea and coast, through rainfall over the mountains, to dry winds and the inland desert. Paragraphing broadly supports this sequence, and transitions such as “Firstly,” “Following the series of steps,” and “After rainfall” help guide the reader. Some linking is mechanical, however, and the final paragraph largely repeats the sequence already summarised in the opening. References such as “it” in “it starts to rain” are not fully precise, while “this time in downward position” makes the transition less smooth. Grouping the stages into a concise overview followed by a more detailed account, and using clearer references to the air or winds, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “moist air,” “cloud formation,” “peak,” “Leeward side,” and “rain shadow desert,” so the reader can follow the topic. There is also some attempt to vary wording, for example “formation procedure” and “sequential flow.” However, several choices are awkward or imprecise for describing this diagram: “mix up with the moist air,” “destination of inland areas,” and “resulting in making of desert” do not sound natural. “Rain shadow desert” should also be consistently written as the compound term “rain-shadow desert.” Aim for accurate process collocations such as “is forced upwards,” “continues inland,” and “leads to the formation of.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex opening sentence and clauses beginning “Following the series of steps” and “By crossing Leeward side.” The sequence remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce precision. For example, “winds start to blow from coast” is missing an article, and “changing the direction to upward along the mountains” has an unclear structure. The sentence beginning “By crossing Leeward side” also has an awkward introductory clause and shifts into “now named as dry winds,” making the subject relationship unclear. There are punctuation issues, including the space before the comma in “sea ,following.” Use complete, direct clauses and check articles, prepositions, and clause structure.

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.