Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The take below gives information about the underground railway systems in six cities.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Underground Railway Systems

City	Date opened	Kilometers of route	Passengers per year (in millions)
London	1863	394	775
Paris	1900	199	1191
Tokyo	1927	155	1927
Washington DC	1976	126	144
Kyoto	1981	11	45
Los Angeles	2001	28	50

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The table below illustrates the information about the underground railway systems in london,paris,tokyo,washingtonDC,kyoto and los angeles.

Overall,the first underground railway system is operated in london, then in paris. and the latest one underground railway station is operated in los angeles.

The first underground railway systems started in lodon in 1863 which was 394 kilometers of route with 775 million passengers per year. The rest one in all other countries was operated in 19 century and 20 century.In paris it started on 1900 with 199 kilometers of route with 1191 million passengers per year.

whereas, in tokyo and washington DC was 1927 and 1976 opening date with 155 and 126 kilometers of route with 1927 and only 144 million passengers per year. The smallest track of underground railway station is in kyoto which operated on 1981 with only 11 kilometers of route with 45 million passengers per year.whereas, in los angeles its 2001 which 28 kilometers of route with 50 millions passengers per year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the table’s subject and report several key figures, including London’s early opening and longest route, and Tokyo’s high passenger total. However, the overview is limited: it notes the earliest and latest systems but misses the main comparisons across all measures, such as Tokyo carrying the most passengers and Kyoto having the shortest route and lowest passenger use. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate in presentation; for example, “the rest one in all other countries was operated in 19 century and 20 century” does not clearly summarise the opening dates, and the table gives cities rather than countries. To strengthen the response, provide a concise overview of the highest and lowest figures, then report the data systematically and accurately for all six cities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs containing data, so the reader can recognise the intended organisation. However, progression is uneven: the overview is followed by a broad statement about centuries, then the details move between cities without a consistent grouping. Linking words such as “whereas” are repeated and do not always show a clear contrast; the Tokyo and Washington sentence is especially difficult to follow because several figures are packed together. Paragraph breaks help somewhat, but punctuation and spacing also interrupt the flow. Organise the details in a clearer sequence—for example, older and larger systems first, followed by the newer, smaller ones—and use linking expressions only where they clarify a comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “underground railway systems,” “kilometers of route,” “passengers per year,” and “smallest track.” This gives the response a basic range suited to the topic. However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive: “the first underground railway system is operated” and “the latest one underground railway station is operated” do not naturally describe opening dates, while “millions passengers” is not correctly formed. There are also spelling and capitalisation slips in city names, including “london,” “lodon,” and “los angeles.” Use precise reporting language such as “opened,” “had a route length of,” and “carried,” and check spelling and plural forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, but the range is limited and complex constructions are often faulty. For example, “whereas, in tokyo and washington DC was 1927 and 1976 opening date” lacks a clear grammatical subject and has an incorrect verb pattern. In “The first underground railway systems started in lodon in 1863 which was 394 kilometers,” the relative clause does not clearly attach to the intended noun. Tense and article choices are also inconsistent, as in “it started on 1900.” Commas, full stops, and spacing are frequently mishandled, making some sentences harder to read. Practise building accurate comparison sentences with a clear subject and verb, then proofread sentence boundaries and punctuation.

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

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