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 table below displays the information about the underground railway systems in six cities(London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles). The table demonstrate about the opening date, routes cover in kilometers and number of passengers per year ( in millions).
Overall, the first railway system were opened in London. In 1900,largest number of passenger per year in millions is produced in Paris. Kyoto and Los Angeles is the smallest city among others.
In 1863, London underground railway system cover 394 kilometers per route which is the longest area while the area is lowest in Kyoto which is 11 kilometer per routes. However, in 1981 the smallest number of passengers per year in millions is found in Kyoto which is only 45. In Washington DC, underground railway system open in 1863 and number of passengers per year in millions would be 144.
In sum up, there is a different opening date of both the six cities and also different routes and number of passengers per year in millions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all six cities and the three categories provided in the table. However, the analysis is superficial and contains factual errors. For example, you state that Washington DC opened in 1863, whereas the table clearly shows 1976. Additionally, the comparison of 'smallest city' is ambiguous as the table provides data on railway systems, not city size. While you identify some key features like London having the longest route and Tokyo having the highest passenger numbers, the lack of accurate data reporting and the failure to make meaningful comparisons between the older and newer systems limit the development of the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the transition 'In sum up' which is grammatically incorrect. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when comparing cities without explicitly stating the metrics being contrasted. The logical flow is hindered by the repetitive structure of sentences and the lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the data points effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You frequently use phrases like 'number of passengers per year in millions' and 'underground railway system' throughout the text. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'routes cover in kilometers' instead of 'route length in kilometers' and 'the table demonstrate' (subject-verb agreement error). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning of the task, it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band score. You should aim to use synonyms and more varied reporting verbs.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response. Subject-verb agreement is a recurring issue, for example, 'The table demonstrate' and 'Kyoto and Los Angeles is the smallest city'. There are also tense inconsistencies, such as 'the first railway system were opened' and 'underground railway system open in 1863'. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, such as 'which is the longest area while the area is lowest in Kyoto'. These errors occasionally cause confusion for the reader, though the overall meaning remains generally understandable.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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