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 table below summarise the underground railway systems of London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto, and Los Angeles and when it is build and how many passengers per year used the railway system.

Overall the table shows the underground railway systems of six different cities. London have one of the oldest railway system which was build in 1863 ,while the most lastest railway system is of Los Angeles which was build in 2001.The highest number of passsengers per year is for Tokyo that is consist of 1927 million and the least number of passengers was for Kyoto that consist of 45 million .

Paris railway was build in 1900 and the distance covered by the railway was 199 km, while london have covered 394 km and tokyo , Washington DC was build in 1976 and covered 126 km

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the table’s subject and report several key comparisons, including London as the oldest system, Los Angeles as the newest, and Tokyo and Kyoto as the highest and lowest in annual passenger numbers. However, the summary is incomplete: it omits passenger figures for London, Paris, Washington DC and Los Angeles, and does not compare all six systems across the three measures. The final sentence also leaves the comparison unfinished. The response is 12 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited coverage. To improve, include a clear overview and select representative figures for every category, especially the contrast between London’s longest route and Tokyo’s highest passenger total.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with some details. The overview helps the reader identify the main extremes, and “while” is used to introduce a contrast. However, the progression is limited because the final paragraph combines details about Paris, London, Tokyo and Washington without completing the comparison or giving a clear pattern. Some information is repeated, such as the opening date being mentioned in both the overview and the detail paragraph. Organise the data into clearer comparisons—for example, older and larger systems versus newer and smaller ones—and use linking phrases to show how the figures relate.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant basic vocabulary such as “underground railway systems,” “distance covered,” and “passengers per year,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, including “most lastest,” “consist of,” and “the distance covered by the railway was 199 km.” Spelling errors such as “passsengers” and inconsistent capitalisation of “London” and “Tokyo” also reduce accuracy. Aim for concise, precise data-reporting language and check spelling. For example, describe a system as “carried” a number of passengers, and say its route “extended for” a stated distance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response uses mostly simple sentence patterns, with an attempt at a compound comparison using “while.” However, frequent errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and punctuation make the writing less controlled. Examples include “The table … summarise” instead of a singular verb, “London have,” and repeated “was build” rather than the correct passive form. The final sentence is also incomplete, ending with “Tokyo, Washington DC was build…” without a clear grammatical connection between the cities. Practise accurate past passive forms for opening dates and use complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs. Careful proofreading for spacing and comma use would also improve readability.

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