Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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 4.0)

The choose under present detail about the underground rail line method in six metropolis

In the summary ,the information of under ground railway systems

are the highest date of city in date opened are Los Angeles ,Kyoto ,Washington DC, Tokyo, Paris , London and the highest of Kilometers of route are London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Kyoto and the highest of passengers per year (in millions) are Tokyo, Paris, London Washington DC, Los Angeles, Kyoto.

In the explanation, Los Angeles is largest date opened in 2001 , Kyoto date opened in 1981,Washington DC date opened in 1976, Tokyo date opened in 1927, Paris date opened in 1900, London date opened in 1863 and London is the largest kilo meters of route is 394, Paris is 199, Tokyo is 155, Washington DC is 126, Los Angeles is 28, Kyoto is 11 and Tokyo is the highest passengers per year is 1927, Paris is 1191, London is 775, Washington DC is 144, Los Angeles is 50, Kyoto is 45.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to provide a meaningful overview or effective comparisons. Instead of grouping data logically, the text simply lists the cities in order for each category, which is repetitive and lacks analytical depth. The 'overview' section is essentially a list of names rather than a summary of trends. To improve, you should identify key features, such as the fact that London is the oldest system while Los Angeles is the newest, or that Tokyo has the highest passenger volume despite not having the longest route. The current approach is mechanical and does not highlight the relationships between the variables provided in the table.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The essay lacks logical progression. The structure is confusing, with sections labeled 'summary' and 'explanation' that do not function as coherent paragraphs. There is a lack of cohesive devices; the text relies on repetitive lists rather than linking ideas together. For example, the second paragraph is a long, run-on sentence that simply strings together data points without using transition words or logical connectors. To improve, you should organize your writing into clear paragraphs—one for an overview and one or two for detailed comparisons—and use linking words like 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'by comparison' to connect your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. You frequently use the same phrases, such as 'date opened in' and 'highest of', which makes the writing monotonous. There are also errors in word choice, such as using 'metropolis' to describe the systems themselves rather than the cities, and 'largest date' to describe a year, which is logically incorrect. To reach a higher band, you need to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'the oldest system', 'the most extensive network', or 'the highest volume of passengers'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the information... are'), incorrect sentence structure, and missing articles. Many sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'The choose under present detail about the underground rail line method', which is difficult to parse. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and periods. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction: ensure every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and practice using simple, accurate structures before attempting more complex ones.

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