Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The data revels news about underground railway system in six different cities from separate countries.

According to the data, In London the underground trains was starting earlier than other cities and it covers 394 kilometers of route. While in Paris & Tokyo the underground railways were starting in the year 1900 and 1927. The number of passengers in Tokyo was considerably higher than the number of travelers in Paris. However, in London there was only 775 passengers were travelled by underground trains.

As can be seen from the data, Washington was covered 126 kilometers of route and also passengers which is higher than other two cities Kyoto and Los Angeles.

All in all, London experienced the large kilometers of route than other cities. However, in Tokyo higher number of individuals were travelled by underground railways.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some key features, such as the oldest system (London) and the busiest (Tokyo), the analysis is superficial. You have not fully compared the data across all six cities, and the information provided is sometimes inaccurate or confusing, such as stating London had only 775 passengers rather than 775 million. To improve, ensure you include all relevant data points, provide a clear overview of the main trends, and ensure your summary is long enough to fully address the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into short paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'However' and 'According to the data'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the cities. To improve, use a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus, such as grouping cities by their age or size to create a more logical progression of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, often relying on simple phrasing like 'The data revels news' (should be 'reveals information') and 'higher number of individuals'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'experienced the large kilometers' instead of 'had the longest route'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'the most extensive network' or 'the highest passenger volume', and avoid repeating the same sentence structures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('trains was starting', 'passengers were travelled') and incorrect preposition usage. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. The errors occasionally impede the clarity of the information provided. To improve, focus on mastering basic verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. Additionally, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases, to describe the data more fluently.

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

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