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 diagram shows all steps in formation of a rain-shadow desert. Firstly, The winds approaches coast from sea and then move upwards to the mountains where rain occurs and, then these winds dry and decline towards the Inland (rain-shadow desert).

Summarizing the whole process, we can see that first of all the winds get pushed upward from the Windward side of the mountains where Moist air rises and cools to form Clouds. Afterwards Rain falls from these clouds on the top of mountain. Moving forward the air becomes dry which then move over the mountains, and then towards the Leeward side of the mountains. These winds then reach inland areas where the Rain-shadow desert forms with Driest air. The whole process of formation of these deserts takes winds to travel thousands of kilometers.

In Conclusion, we can say that it is a very long process in which the mountains play a very pivot role in the formation of deserts with dry winds.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main sequence from winds arriving from the sea to dry air reaching the inland desert, and you identify the key role of the mountains, windward and leeward sides, cloud formation, and rainfall. The opening overview and final comment also make the process’s overall outcome clear. This meets the task well, with some detail already approaching a fuller account. However, a few stages are compressed or imprecise: the diagram shows moist air rising and cooling before clouds form and rain falls on the windward side, while “rain occurs” and “on the top of mountain” do not clearly convey that location. The claim that the desert forms “with Driest air” is not shown. Describe the sequence and locations more precisely, without adding unsupported details, to strengthen the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall progression: it begins with the winds approaching, follows their movement over the mountains, and ends with the inland desert. Paragraphing separates the initial summary from the fuller account, and sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Afterwards,” and “Moving forward” help the reader follow the stages. However, the linking is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “then” and “and then.” The opening sentence also repeats information that is developed immediately afterward, while “In Conclusion” introduces a conclusion that largely restates the mountain’s role. Use fewer formulaic transitions and organise the stages into a more purposeful overview and process description, with clearer links between cause and result.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “formation,” “Windward side,” “Leeward side,” “Moist air,” and “Rain-shadow desert,” so the subject is generally clear. Some less common wording, such as “pivot role,” shows an attempt to vary your expression. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “winds dry and decline” does not clearly describe the air becoming dry and descending, and “Driest air” is an awkward, unsupported description. Capitalisation of common terms such as “Inland,” “Clouds,” and “Rain” is also inconsistent. Choose precise process verbs and natural collocations—for example, “descend” and “dry air”—and use technical labels consistently. This would make the vocabulary more accurate and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a sequence linked with “where” and clauses joined by “which then.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, and the response communicates the process from coast to inland. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “The winds approaches coast,” the plural subject requires “approach,” and the sentence also needs an article before “coast.” In “the air becomes dry which then move,” the relative clause needs clearer punctuation and a verb agreeing with “air.” There are also awkwardly joined clauses in the opening sentence, where commas and repeated “and then” make the structure difficult to control. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles, and punctuation in longer sentences while retaining a mix of sentence forms.

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