Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-07
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 provides information about the underground railway station system in different six cities. Including them the station that opened in different years and the total number of passengers travel every year and how much kilometers about the routes.
Overall, London underground railway station opened to much older ones and Los Angeles underground railway station was too much new one recently started them in 2001. Tokyo underground station is much busier than all of them. Many people travel to Tokyo stations.
The London underground railway station opened 1863 and the total route was 394 kilometers. It carries approximately 775 million people every year. Then discuss Paris station opened 1900 and the total route was 199 km. 1191 million people travel to them. Tokyo was the busiest station ever, In Tokyo station opened in 1863. The route of the station was 155 kilometers and 1927 million people travel to them every year.
In Washington DC underground railway station opened 1976 and the total route was 126 kilometers. It carries approximately 144 million passengers every year. Kyoto station opened 1981 and the shortest route ever 11 km. The number of people travels to about 45 million. The last one was Los Angeles opened station in 2001 and the route was 28 kilometers. 50 million people travel them .
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 the required data points, including the dates, route lengths, and passenger numbers for all six cities. However, there are significant factual errors, such as stating Tokyo opened in 1863 (the table shows 1927). The overview is present but lacks clarity, and the comparison of data is somewhat mechanical. While the main features are identified, the inaccuracies regarding the data provided in the prompt prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that data extraction is precise and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing facts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by repetitive sentence structures and a lack of sophisticated cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, such as 'Then discuss Paris station' and 'The last one was Los Angeles'. While the progression is generally clear, the use of linking words is limited and sometimes mechanical. To improve, use a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'in contrast', 'meanwhile', 'consequently') to connect ideas more fluidly and improve the overall structure of the paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent use of basic phrases like 'the total route was' and 'people travel to them'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'underground railway station system' (the table refers to systems, not stations) and 'how much kilometers'. The range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your vocabulary to include terms related to statistics and infrastructure would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement ('The number of people travels to about 45 million'), missing articles, and incorrect preposition usage ('travel to them'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of complex sentence structures and the frequency of errors in basic grammar limit the score. To improve, focus on mastering complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses or passive voice, and proofread carefully to correct basic errors in tense and pluralisation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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