The diagram below shows how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.
Sample Response
The diagram shows the process by which a rain-shadow desert is created inland beyond a mountain rangecreated near a mountain range. Overall, air coming from the sea releases moisture as rainloses most of its moisture on the windward side of the mountains. It then becomes dry as it moves down the leewardother side, creating desert conditions further inland.
First, winds approach the coast from the sea and are forcedpushed upwards when they reach the mountains. As the moist air rises on the windward side, it cools. This cooling causes clouds to form overabove the mountain. SubsequentlyAfter that, rain falls mainly over the windward side near the summitnear the top and on the side facing the sea.
Once the air has passed over the summithighest part of the mountain, it contains much less water. It continues across the leeward side as dry air and descends towardsgoes down towards the inland region. Finally, dry winds reach inland areas thousands of kilometres from the coastareas which may be thousands of kilometres from the coast. Since there is little rain in this area, a rain-shadow desert is formed. Therefore, the two sides of the mountains have very different weather: the windward side receives rainfall, while the leeward side is dry.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The report is strongest in its accurate overview and orderly account of the complete process from moist coastal air to dry inland conditions. Its main limitation is that a few stages are described with slightly general wording, especially the precise location of rainfall and the descent of air on the leeward side; prioritise more exact process language tied to the labelled visual.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview accurately identifies the central moisture contrast, and the report covers all major labelled stages without unsupported information.
Describe the rainfall over the mountain and the leeward descent with wording that follows the visual labels even more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion
The report moves clearly from the coastal approach through the windward stages to the leeward desert outcome in well-organised paragraphs.
Reduce the slight repetition between the final contrast and the overview so the ending advances rather than restates the account.
Lexical Resource
A good range of accurate process vocabulary, including windward, leeward, moist air, and inland region, supports precise description.
Replace general verb phrases such as goes down with more exact process terms such as descends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex and simple sentence forms are varied and consistently accurate, with clear control of sequence and cause.
Use compact participial or reduced-clause structures selectively to make the sequence even more economical without sacrificing clarity.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The diagram below shows how one type of desert, known as a rain-shadow desert, is formed.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.