Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-29

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 provides information about the underground railway systems in six towns.

Overall in the entire table Kyoto and Los Angles were the least number of kilometers of route and passengers per year enter. Moreover huge number of passenger per year included in the Paris and Tokyo.

Paris and Tokyo were the highest passenger travelled in 1863 and 1900 at 1191 and 1927 passengers. Therefore the least number of passenger were Kyoto and Los Angles both town passenger travelled at 45 and 50 person in 1981 and 2001.On the other hand in London is the only town was kilometers of route goes long at 394 in 1863.

Simultaneously the number of passenger was travelled 775 passengers. Washington DC city it was an intermediate range of kilometers was went at 126 and the amount of people travelled 144 residents.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is hampered by factual inaccuracies, such as stating that Paris and Tokyo had the highest passengers in 1863 and 1900, which misinterprets the table data. The comparison between cities is underdeveloped and lacks clarity. To improve, ensure you accurately report the data provided and provide a more comprehensive overview that highlights the key trends rather than just listing isolated figures. The under-length nature of the response means the task is not fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a clear logical progression. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the transitions between ideas are often abrupt or confusing, such as the sudden shift in the third paragraph. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes misused, for example, 'Simultaneously' does not fit the context of comparing static data. The referencing is often unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different cities. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would greatly enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'number of' and 'town' (when 'city' would be more appropriate for the data provided). There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'kilometers of route goes long' and 'huge number of passenger per year included in the Paris'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends and comparisons, such as 'extensive', 'minimal', 'surpassed', or 'proportionally'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede meaning. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Kyoto and Los Angles were the least number'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence structures (e.g., 'the number of passenger was travelled 775 passengers'). The range of structures is limited, relying mostly on simple sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb tense consistency.

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

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