Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-06
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)
The table provides information about the underground railway operations among six cities.
Overall, the longest railway according to kilometers was London whereas, the shortest one was Kyoto. While Tokyo had the highest number of passengers in millions likewise, Kyoto was the lowest one.
Looking more into the table, London railway was built in 1863 which was 394 kilometers long and can accommodate 775 millions of people per year. However, Paris railway constructed in 1900, consisted of 199 kilometers and the second higher passengers that was 1191. Tokyo had the highest passengers that was 1927 and was constructed the same number as well and was 155 kilometers distance.
On the other hand, Washington DC builted in 1976 and had a 126 kilometers track and the total passengers were 144 millions. Accordingly, Kyoto had the shortest track 11 kilometers with 45 millions individuals per year and discovered in 1981. While, Los Angeles had the second shortest track of 28 kilometers and passengers with 50 millions and constructed in 2001.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all key features of the table, including dates, route length, and passenger numbers. You successfully identified the extremes (London for length, Tokyo for passengers, Kyoto for the smallest scale). However, the analysis is slightly mechanical, listing data points rather than synthesising them into a more cohesive narrative. While you made comparisons, some descriptions are slightly inaccurate, such as stating Tokyo was 'constructed the same number as well', which is confusing. To improve, focus on grouping the cities by their characteristics (e.g., older European systems vs. newer systems) to provide a more insightful overview.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Looking more into the table', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed. For instance, the transition in the third paragraph regarding Tokyo is abrupt. Additionally, the use of 'likewise' in the second paragraph is misused; it should be used to show similarity, whereas you are contrasting the highest and lowest values. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will help the progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'accommodate', 'constructed', and 'track'. However, there are some word choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'discovered in 1981' (railway systems are 'opened' or 'established', not discovered) and 'the second higher passengers'. The phrasing 'constructed the same number as well' is also unclear. To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that your vocabulary choices are contextually appropriate for describing statistical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'builted' (the past participle is 'built'), '1191' (missing the unit 'millions'), and 'the shortest track 11 kilometers' (missing a preposition or verb). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor issues with comma usage. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice when describing the construction of the systems, as well as ensuring all numerical data is clearly linked to its unit.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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