Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-01
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 4.5)
The table displays information about the underground railway systems in six cities ( London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Los angels), allowing direct comparison of exact values. There are four columns mentioned in the table.
In first column names of city are mentioned in 2nd opening date of underground railway systems are mention. Kilometer of routes and Passengers per year
( in millions) are mention in 3rd and 4th column. Overall, there is increased in kilometers of route in London. In 1900, there is increased in number of passengers per year in million in Paris and also in Tokyo in 1927. In 1981, Kyoto and In 2001 in Los Angeles there is no in changing in passengers per year in millions and l also not increase in routes in
In conclusions, information about underground railway throughout the period increased in Paris, London, Tokyo and Washington DC and decreased in Kyoto, Los Angeles but in different years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to accurately report the data provided in the table. While it mentions all six cities, the analysis is largely incorrect. For example, the claim that there is 'no changing in passengers' for Kyoto and Los Angeles is factually wrong based on the provided figures. Furthermore, the summary of trends is confusing and does not clearly highlight the main features, such as London having the longest route or Tokyo having the highest passenger volume. The response lacks a clear overview and fails to make meaningful comparisons between the cities, which is a core requirement of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The essay lacks logical organization. The introduction is repetitive, describing the table's columns rather than summarizing the data. The body paragraphs are disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and often inaccurate (e.g., 'In conclusions' used incorrectly). There is no clear progression of ideas; the information is presented in a fragmented manner that makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the cities. Paragraphing is insufficient, and the overall structure does not support the development of a coherent report.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.5
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic phrasing such as 'there is increased' and 'mentioned in the table'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'no in changing' and 'not increase in routes'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the data with any degree of precision or flexibility. The spelling of 'Los angels' is also incorrect. To improve, the student needs to learn how to describe trends using a wider variety of verbs and nouns related to data analysis.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'names of city are mentioned'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence structures. The attempt to use complex sentences is largely unsuccessful, resulting in fragmented or run-on thoughts. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalization. The majority of the sentences contain errors, which prevents the reader from easily understanding the intended meaning of the data comparisons.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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