Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-12

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 4.0)

The take describes the information about railway systems which is in underground in six cities.

The picture shows the different cities,opening date,routes,passengers per year which are in millions. Firstly, suppose london and its established in 1863 and kilometers of route is 394 and at end total passengers are 775 per year. Secondly, now discuss the city tokyo and its opening date is 1927, kilometers of route is 155 and passengers per year are 1927. At the end, kyoto its date opening is 1981 and kilometers of route are 11 and its passengers per year are in very small number.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the topic and reports a few relevant figures, including London’s opening date and route length, and Tokyo’s passenger total. However, it covers only three of the six cities and gives no meaningful comparison across the table. Kyoto’s passenger figure is described only as “a very small number,” rather than reported accurately as 45 million. There is also no clear overview of the main patterns, such as London having the oldest and longest system, while Tokyo carries the most passengers. The response is 51 words below the required minimum, which contributes to its limited coverage. To improve, include all six cities, select the most notable contrasts, and write a concise overview supported by accurate data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from an introduction to London, Tokyo and Kyoto, and uses simple signposts such as “Firstly,” “Secondly” and “At the end.” This gives the reader some sense of order. However, the organisation is mechanical and the information is not grouped or compared in a clear way; the final sentence does not function as a developed conclusion or overview. The opening repeats the task description rather than establishing the main features. Some links between ideas are also awkward, as in “Firstly, suppose london.” Improve progression by using a brief overview followed by logically grouped comparisons, and use linking expressions to show contrasts rather than simply numbering examples.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the subject and several table categories, including “opening date,” “kilometers of route” and “passengers per year.” These terms help communicate the basic information. However, the range is narrow and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the take” for the table and “which is in underground” for underground railway systems. “At the end” is also an unsuitable way to introduce Kyoto, and “very small number” is vague where a precise figure is available. Use standard chart-reporting language and precise comparisons, for example “the table compares,” “carried,” “the shortest route” and “the lowest annual passenger total.” Check spelling and capitalisation of city names, including “London” and “Tokyo.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response mainly uses short, simple clauses, and the reader can generally identify the intended facts. There are attempts to connect information with “and,” but the sentence structures remain repetitive and do not show much range. Several grammatical problems make the writing less controlled: “The picture shows the different cities,opening date” has faulty punctuation and an incomplete list structure, while “Firstly, suppose london and its established in 1863” lacks a clear grammatical construction. The phrase “kyoto its date opening is 1981” also has an unclear clause structure. Practise complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, accurate articles and prepositions, and consistent punctuation. For example, state each fact in a full clause and combine related comparisons using “whereas” or “while.”

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