Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-26
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 5.5)
Today we will talk about underground railway systems. These systems is fastest in comparison of open railway system due to crossings and villages in route. In this graph it clearly shows that in the year 1927 Tokyo started underground railway system with 155 kms and the passengers were very high comparatively with other cities there were 1927 Millions because there were less kms and the route was in between many companies. And it was time consuming so there are more numbers of people travelling in Tokyo. Before 1927 this system was in demand but too much as people started believing in this the demand was very high.First the demand was average then its was very high in the year 1927 and after 1981 the ratio of traveeling was very low nearby 45 millions
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response fails to address the task adequately. It does not provide a clear summary of the main features or make effective comparisons between the six cities. The information provided is inaccurate, such as the claim that Tokyo started its system in 1927 with 155 kms and 1927 million passengers (the table shows 1927 as the opening year, not the passenger count). Furthermore, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which significantly impacts the score. The analysis is superficial and lacks a clear overview or logical selection of data points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response lacks logical organization. It is written as a single paragraph with no clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are largely absent or misused, such as the repetitive use of 'and' to connect unrelated thoughts. The transition between sentences is abrupt, and the lack of paragraphing makes the text difficult to follow. There is no clear structure (introduction, overview, body paragraphs), which is essential for an Academic Task 1 response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and often inaccurate. The student struggles to use appropriate terminology for describing data, such as 'ratio of traveeling' or 'open railway system'. There are several spelling errors, such as 'traveeling', and word choice is frequently imprecise, making it difficult to convey the intended meaning. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to discuss the data points effectively, relying on basic and repetitive language throughout the short text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('These systems is fastest'), incorrect tense usage ('in the year 1927 Tokyo started'), and awkward sentence structures ('there were 1927 Millions because there were less kms'). The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with errors in punctuation and syntax. The lack of control over basic grammar makes the text difficult to read and understand.
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