Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-25

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 chart give the information about the underground railway systems in six different cities, date when they opened, kilometers of route cover and number of passenger per year.

Overall,Six different cities have fluctuation in the number of passengers. Firstly, underground railway system started in London with a long route. Then its opened in Paris with a high numbers of passenger than London. However, Tokyo have high number of passengers per year with 155 kilometers route. Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles have modest number of passengers.

Moreover, two countries with short track and the less passengers are Kyoto and Los Angeles. While, Washington DC have less numbers of passengers but having 126 kilometers route.

Comparitively, Tokyo and Paris have more passengers per year then other countries. It was recorded that, in 1927 Tokyo has highest number 1927 passengers per year while the track it less then Paris and London. Tokyo has one similar thing that the year they opened and the number of passengers per year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the table’s subject and make a useful overall comparison: London has the longest route, while Tokyo records the most passengers. You also note that Kyoto and Los Angeles have relatively short networks and low passenger totals. However, the overview is imprecise, and several key comparisons are missing or unclear. For example, London’s route is the longest at 394 km, but Tokyo’s 1,927 million passengers are the highest; Paris also carries more passengers than London despite having a shorter route. The statement that Tokyo and Paris have “more passengers … than other countries” is too broad, since Tokyo exceeds Paris. To strengthen the response, report the main extremes accurately and include more specific figures across the six cities, rather than relying on general descriptions such as “modest.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has some organisation: it begins by introducing the table, gives an overview, and then adds comparisons in separate paragraphs. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Moreover,” and “Comparitively” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, there is no consistently clear progression from the main overview to well-grouped details, and some links are inaccurate or make relationships difficult to follow. For instance, “Firstly” and “Then” suggest a sequence of events, although the paragraph is comparing cities, while “While” begins a fragment-like contrast. The final paragraph repeats the Tokyo and Paris comparison without developing it clearly. Group the cities by notable features—such as route length and passenger numbers—and use linking words only when their logical relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “route,” “passengers,” “short track,” and “highest number.” This shows a basic ability to discuss the data, but the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making comparisons unclear. For example, “fluctuation” does not describe the differences between the passenger totals, and “countries” is used where the comparison is between cities. “High numbers of passenger” and “short track” are also not natural ways to express these figures. Aim for precise data language such as “annual passenger numbers,” “network length,” “recorded,” and “the highest/lowest figure.” Check spelling as well, including “Comparitively,” which should be “Comparatively.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, including contrasts introduced by “However” and “While.” Nevertheless, the range is limited, and frequent errors in sentence formation and agreement sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “The table chart give,” “Tokyo have,” and “Washington DC have,” where the subject and verb do not agree. The sentence “While, Washington DC have less numbers of passengers but having 126 kilometers route” combines contrasting structures incorrectly and lacks a clear main clause. Articles and plurals are also inconsistent, as in “a long route” and “number of passenger.” Practise building complete comparison sentences with accurate verb forms, for example: “Washington, DC has fewer passengers than Paris, despite having a longer route than Kyoto.”

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