Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-05
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 illustator gives information about the railway system in six different cities which are underground.
London started underground railway systems for the very first time in the history. london started this travelling system in 1863 and the rote of that railway system is 394 KM. From which 775 millions people was travelling per year. On the other hand the city of love " Paris" started underground railw system in 1900 with 199 kilometers router and 1191 millions passengers was travelling every year.
While Tokyo opened underground railway system in 1927 with 155 kilometers route but the largest number of passengers was going on their destinations which are about 1927 millions per year.
Washington DC later opened underground railway system in 1976 with 126 kilometers and the passengers that traveled on it was 144 millions per year.
Kyoto opened the underground railway system in 1981 with just 11 kilometer route.on which just 45 millions people was traveled every year.
Los Angeles opened underground railway system in 2001 with 28 kilometer routes and 50 millions passengers was travelling on it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all the data points provided in the table, which is a positive aspect. However, it fails to provide a clear overview or summary of the main features and trends, which is a requirement for Band 6 and above. Instead, the response is essentially a list of facts for each city, lacking any comparative analysis. For instance, it does not highlight that Tokyo has the highest passenger volume despite not having the longest route, or that London is the oldest system. To improve, you should group the data logically and identify key comparisons rather than simply listing each row of the table.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized by city, which provides a basic structure, but the lack of paragraphing makes it difficult to follow. There is no clear introduction or overview paragraph. Cohesive devices are very limited and repetitive, relying heavily on simple conjunctions like 'and' or 'while'. The progression of ideas is mechanical, as each sentence simply introduces a new city without linking the information to the broader context of the data. To improve, use paragraph breaks to separate your overview from the detailed body paragraphs and incorporate a wider range of linking words such as 'in contrast', 'consequently', or 'furthermore'.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. You use the phrase 'opened underground railway system' in almost every sentence, which limits your score. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'illustator' instead of 'illustration' and 'rote' instead of 'route'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate flexibility or precision. To reach a higher band, try to use synonyms and varied terminology to describe the data, such as 'commenced operations', 'network length', or 'annual ridership', and ensure you check your spelling carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies almost exclusively on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and tense usage, such as '775 millions people was travelling' (should be 'were traveling') and 'passengers that traveled on it was 144 millions' (should be 'were 144 million'). The use of articles is also inconsistent, such as 'in the history' instead of 'in history'. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and attempt to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, to describe the data more effectively.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.