Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 bellow provides data regarding the underground subway systems in London, Paris, Tokyo,Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles.

Overall, railway systems of London, Tokyo and Paris are older then Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles railway systems and covers more route then these as well. London, Tokyo and Paris railway also have more passengers than Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles railway.

To begin with, London, Tokyo and Paris opened in 1863,1900 and 1927 respectively. They covers route of 394,199 and 155 km respectively. The number of passengers travelling through these systems are 775, 1191 and 1924 million respectively.

On the othe

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the table’s subject and provide an overview comparing the older, larger, and busier systems with the newer, smaller ones. You also report several relevant figures for London, Paris, and Tokyo. However, the response is incomplete: it stops at “On the othe…” and gives no details for Washington DC, Kyoto, or Los Angeles, so the task is only partially addressed. There is also a factual error: Tokyo’s annual passenger figure is 1,927 million, not 1,924 million. The response contains 103 words, below the required 150. To improve, complete the comparison by including the remaining cities and accurately report the key extremes, such as London’s longest route and Tokyo’s highest passenger total.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic, understandable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph beginning to present supporting figures. The overview groups the three older systems together, which gives the reader a useful organising idea. However, the response ends mid-phrase, leaving the final comparison unfinished and preventing a clear progression through all six cities. The repeated pattern of listing dates, route lengths, and passenger totals also makes the information feel like a sequence of figures rather than a developed summary. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs—for example, an overview followed by comparisons of the older and newer systems—and connect the comparisons with clear referencing such as “by contrast” and “whereas.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to identify the subject and describe the table, using terms such as “underground subway systems,” “route,” and “passengers.” “Regarding” and “respectively” also help convey the information in a formal style. However, the range is limited, and some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “railway systems” and “railway” recur, while “covers more route” does not express the comparison naturally. There are also spelling errors, including “bellow” and “othe,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise data-description language, such as “network length,” “annual passenger numbers,” and “served,” and check spelling before submitting. This would make the summary clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use simple sentences and attempt a longer comparative overview, but the range of structures is limited and errors occur in basic agreement, comparison, and sentence construction. For example, “systems … covers” should use a plural verb, and “older then” needs the comparative connector “than.” In “The number of passengers … are,” the singular subject “number” requires “is.” The phrase “London, Tokyo and Paris railway” also needs a plural or possessive construction. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main point, but they make the writing less controlled. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and comparative forms, then add accurate complex sentences to compare the figures.

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