Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-31
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 compares six underground railway systems in terms of the year they opned ,the total length of there routes ,and the number of the passenger they carry annualy.
overall,London has the longest route underground railway system .Tokyo has the largest number of annual passengers ,while Tokyo has the shortest route and the lowest numbers of passengers ,the other cities has the lowest numbers of passengers.
London underground system ,has opened in 1863 .the numberof passenger is 1191
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 78 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you have identified some key features, such as London having the longest route and Tokyo having the highest passenger numbers, the analysis is incomplete. You have not provided a comprehensive summary of all six cities, and the data provided for Paris is factually incorrect based on the table (you attributed 1191 million passengers to London, whereas the table assigns this to Paris). To improve, you must ensure all data points are accurately transcribed and that you provide a full comparison of all categories for all cities.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response lacks a clear structure. There is no logical progression of ideas, and the paragraphing is non-existent. While you attempt to use cohesive devices like 'overall' and 'while', the connection between sentences is weak. The text feels like a collection of disjointed observations rather than a cohesive report. To improve, you should organize your response into a clear introduction, an overview of the main trends, and specific body paragraphs that group the data logically, using a wider range of linking words to connect your comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You use basic terms like 'number' and 'lowest' repeatedly. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'opned', 'annualy', and 'there' (used instead of 'their'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more varied terminology related to data description, such as 'figures', 'statistics', 'commuters', or 'extensive', and ensure you proofread for basic spelling mistakes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the number of the passenger they carry annualy' (incorrect article and pluralization) and 'London underground system ,has opened in 1863' (incorrect punctuation and tense usage). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage for historical data, and proper punctuation, particularly avoiding unnecessary commas before verbs.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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