Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-18

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 illustrates the information about the underground railway systems in six different cities.

Overall, it can be seen that in Tokyo the railway system was opened in 1927 with 155km of route and there is a greatest number of passangers in per year which is approximately 1927million. Another noticeable feature is that in Kyoto, the railway was opened in 1981 with 11km of route and there are few passangers travel in this city per year about 45 million.

To begin with, In London the railway had opened in 1863 with the 394km of route and the number of passangers would travel is approximately 775 million in per year. While in Paris the railway is started in 1900 with 199km of route and the 1191 million passangers would travel per year. In Tokyo, the railway was started in 1927 with the 155km of route and the significant number of passangers would travel in per year approximately 1927 million.

Furthermore, In Washington DC the railway had started in 1976 with 126km of the route and the passangers travel per year rose up to 144 million. However, In Kyoto, the railway opened in 1981 with the11km of the route and 45 million people travel per year. While in Los Angeles, the underground railway system had started in 2001 with 28km of route and 50 million passangers travel per year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the table’s subject and include figures for all six cities, so the response is relevant and gives the reader several key details. However, the overview is limited: it highlights Tokyo and Kyoto but does not clearly summarise the main comparisons across the table, such as London having the longest route and Tokyo carrying the most passengers. Some descriptions are also unclear or inaccurate in presentation, for example, “there is a greatest number of passengers” and “the number of passengers would travel.” To strengthen the report, give a concise overview of the highest and lowest figures and compare the cities directly, rather than mainly listing each system separately. The response meets the stated length requirement; eight words copied from the task prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs containing details. The information is generally grouped by city, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “To begin with,” and “Furthermore” help signal movement between sections. However, progression is repetitive: Tokyo appears in both the overview and the first detail paragraph, while Kyoto is repeated in the overview and final paragraph. “While” is also used to connect details without always making the comparison clear. Organise the figures into meaningful groups—for example, older and larger systems versus newer and smaller ones—and use comparisons to create a clearer progression. This would make the organisation less list-like and the connections between points more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “underground railway systems,” “route,” and “per year,” and the reader can generally understand which figures you are describing. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repeated, especially “the railway was opened/started” and “passengers travel per year.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice problems, including “passangers” and the unnatural phrase “there is a greatest number.” Choose precise reporting language and vary it appropriately, while checking spelling carefully. For example, “recorded the highest annual passenger total” is clearer than “there is a greatest number of passengers.” More accurate collocations would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range of structures is limited, and complex sentences are often faulty. Examples include “there is a greatest number of passengers in per year” and “the number of passengers would travel,” where the sentence structure does not express the intended comparison clearly. Verb forms and articles are also inconsistent, as in “the railway had opened” and “with the 394km of route.” Capitalisation after sentence breaks is uneven, and spacing around figures is inconsistent. Practise accurate present-tense reporting structures, such as “Tokyo’s system carries 1,927 million passengers annually,” and check articles, prepositions, and sentence punctuation when editing.

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