Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-12
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 provided tabular chart depicts information about the underground railway systems in six cities which are LONDON, PARIS, TOKYO, WASHINGTON DC, KYOTO, LOS ANGELES.
Overall, it can be seen that the maximum passengers per year was in TOKYO, whereas the minimum passengers per year was in KYOTO.
Initially, it can be seen that in TOKYO the maximum number of passengers has travelled which was 775million and the route it covered was 394 kilometers in year 1863 moving ahead to PARIS in year 1900, 199 kilometer route has covered with 1191million travellers.Moreover, in LONDON 775milllion people has travelled with 394kilometer in 1863
In addition to this,in [redacted phone]million travellers has travelled to WASHINGTON DC through 126kilometer.In LOS ANGELES 28kilometer of route has covered with only 50million passengers in year 2001.Lastly the minimum passengers and route was covered by KYOTO in year 1981 with 11kilometers and 45million passengers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5
The response attempts to cover the main features of the table, noting extremes such as Tokyo having the highest number of passengers and Kyoto having the lowest. However, there are significant data confusion and factual inaccuracies. For instance, the student states that Tokyo had 775 million passengers and covered 394 kilometers in 1863, which actually applies to London. Furthermore, the total word count is 146 words, narrowly missing the 150-word minimum requirement, which incurs a penalty on the task achievement score. While an overview is present, the inaccurate reporting of data and failure to meet the minimum length constraint limit the effectiveness of the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overall statement, and two body paragraphs. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Initially', 'Moreover', and 'In addition to this' to structure the response. However, the logical progression is disrupted by confusing data transitions and repetitive phrasing. Paragraphing is utilized, but the internal cohesion of sentences is sometimes mechanical or faulty, as seen in the cramped listing of facts in the third paragraph. Referencing is occasionally unclear, which affects the overall readability of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses a basic vocabulary range suitable for describing tabular data, such as 'tabular chart', 'passengers', 'route', and 'kilometers'. However, there is a lack of flexibility, and vocabulary is often repetitive. Noticeable errors occur in word choice and data reporting. There are also typographical and spelling issues, such as missing spaces between words ('775million', '394kilometer', '1191million travellers'). While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic concepts, the limited range and inaccuracies prevent the achievement of a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic complex forms that frequently contain errors. Examples of grammatical and mechanical issues include missing spaces ('775million'), incorrect prepositions, and awkward passive constructions ('the route it covered was 394 kilometers' and '199 kilometer route has covered'). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency also show weaknesses. Although some simple sentences are clear, frequent errors in grammar and punctuation cause some difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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