Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-04

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 given table chart elucidates information about underground railway systems . The chart compares different categories and presents the data in number or percentages .

Overall, it can that there are noticeable differences among the categories shown in the chart . In addition , some categories show some fluctuations increment as well as decrement whereas for some cases they remain stable .

According to the chart , the first main activity city in london date opened 1863 , 394 km , pessenger per year 775 , then followed by Paris the date 1900 , 199 km and passengers per year 1191 millions , then come city in Tokyo open the date 1927 , 155 km , 1927 per year . Washington DC the date 1976 route 126 km and passengers 144 per year . This show a clear comparison among the all activities .

Let's have a look at remaning information , the city in Kyoto date opened 1981 and route 11km , passengers 45 per year , Los Angeles the date 2001 and 28 km and 50 passengers 50 per year .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You include figures for all six cities, so the response is relevant to the table, and you identify London as the earliest system by giving its opening date. However, the overview is not accurate or useful: the claim that categories show “fluctuations” or “remain stable” does not describe this static comparison. The main features are also not selected or compared clearly. For example, London has the longest route, while Tokyo carries the most passengers; Kyoto has the shortest route and the fewest passengers. These important contrasts are not stated. Several figures are reported without clear units, such as Tokyo’s passenger total. To improve, give a concise overview of the highest and lowest figures, then group and compare the data accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details for four cities and then the remaining two. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression within the detail paragraphs is difficult to follow because the cities are listed in a run-on sequence, with fragments such as “then followed by Paris” and “then come city in Tokyo.” Linking phrases including “According to the chart” and “Let's have a look” are repetitive or conversational rather than helping to show meaningful comparisons. The overview also does not prepare the reader for the data that follows. Organise the body by a clear comparison, such as older/larger systems versus newer/smaller ones, and use complete sentences with precise links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-related vocabulary, including “underground railway systems,” “route,” “date opened,” and “passengers per year,” which helps identify the table’s subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, sometimes making the meaning unclear. “The first main activity city” does not describe a railway system, and “fluctuations increment as well as decrement” is unsuitable for fixed table data. There are also spelling errors such as “pessenger” and “remaning,” and “chart” is used where “table” is more precise. Aim for concise, accurate reporting language and check spelling. Useful alternatives include “recorded,” “respectively,” “the longest route,” and “the highest annual passenger figure.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to use longer sentences and sequencing, but most details are expressed through incomplete or poorly controlled structures. For example, “the first main activity city in london date opened 1863” lacks a clear subject–verb structure, while “then come city in Tokyo open the date 1927” has problems with verb form and sentence construction. The overview phrase “it can that there are” is also incomplete. These errors make relationships between the figures harder to understand. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, with spaces before full stops and several comma-separated fragments. Practise building accurate simple sentences first—for example, “London’s system opened in 1863 and has a 394-kilometre route”—then combine them using controlled complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.