Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-27
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 4.5)
The table illustrates the information about the underground railway systems in six cities.
Overall,It is evidant that Tokyo, Paris, London Passengers per year (in millions) increased Whereas, Washington DC, Kyoto, Los Angeles public using metro decreased.
To begin, It was higher busy train London opened date in 1863 this is far higher than other train routes 394 kilometer total public move in the train 775 millions Paris date opened 1900. It was second biggest route approximately 199 kilometer and 1191 millions passengers moves on the underground railway. Tokyo open date 1927. there is a third largest route around 155 kilometers and thbere was largest bussy train in the world 1927.
In sharp contrast, Washington opened railway 1976 it was 126 kilometer route total passengers moved on the train 144. While Kyoto date opened 1981 and 11 kilometer route it was so tiny route in the whole world and 45 passengers per year moves in the train Los Angeles date opened 2001 the total route is 28 kilometer or approximately 50 passengers ride on the train.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response attempts to cover the main features of the table, noting dates opened, lengths, and passenger numbers. However, the overview sentence contains a major factual inaccuracy regarding the trends ('Tokyo, Paris, London Passengers per year... increased Whereas... Washington DC, Kyoto, Los Angeles... decreased'), as the table only provides a single snapshot in time rather than historical trend data over time. Furthermore, data is sometimes misreported or awkwardly framed, such as stating Kyoto had '45 passengers per year' instead of 45 million. While all six cities are mentioned, the lack of accurate summarisation of the data means the response does not fully satisfy the requirements of Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The organisation of the text is basic. Although paragraphs are used to separate different ideas, the progression of information lacks logical flow. Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, with awkward transitions such as 'To begin, It was higher busy train London opened date...' and 'In sharp contrast...'. Referencing is frequently unclear, and punctuation errors (such as missing spaces after periods and commas) disrupt the readability of the text. Overall, the cohesive framework is inadequate, aligning with Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.0
The vocabulary used is very limited and basic, with frequent lexical errors that impede understanding. Examples include 'evidant' (evident), 'bussy train', and 'tiny route'. There is also a lack of precision when handling numerical and statistical terms, such as omitting 'million' for passenger figures. The range of vocabulary is barely adequate to communicate the basic details of the table, preventing the score from reaching Band 5.0 in full, though it meets the lower threshold of Band 4.5, rounded conventionally or evaluated strictly at Band 4.0 due to the strain caused by frequent lexical errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0
The grammatical structure of the essay is heavily flawed, consisting mostly of fragmented or poorly constructed simple and complex sentences. There are frequent errors in verb tense, word order, and clause formation, such as 'Tokyo open date 1927. there is a third largest route around 155 kilometers and thbere was largest bussy train in the world 1927.' Punctuation and capitalization are also erratic throughout the text. These frequent errors cause significant strain for the reader and reflect Band 4 characteristics.
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