Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-08
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 above table summarizes some statistical data including the date opened, total travelled distance and passengers per year in million of underground railway system in six cities.
Overall, the oldest railway is located in London and the new one is in Los Angeles. Also, the most distance covered is highest in London. Additionally, the number of people using per year were least in Kyoto city.
The only train opened in 19th century in 1863 was London and the rest of the railway systems were available in the 20th century or later. Also, the kilometers of route was 394 in London system, being the highest, then gradually decreased in Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto. The numbers were 199, 155, 126, 11. Only Los Angeles showed a increased in route that is 28km
The highest passenger carried per year is Tokyo and least was in Kyoto. Paris was the 2nd highest passenger carriers and London system was third. However, being the newest one, Los Angeles carried 50million passengers per year holding the the 5th position in this criteria.
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 covers all key features of the table, including the date opened, route length, and passenger numbers. You successfully identified the oldest and newest systems, as well as the extremes in distance and usage. However, the analysis is somewhat descriptive rather than analytical. For instance, you list the route lengths for several cities in a sequence without clearly highlighting the significant gap between London (394km) and the others. To reach a higher band, ensure you group data more effectively to make comparisons, rather than just listing figures. The overview is present but could be more concise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Additionally', and 'However' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. For example, the start of the third paragraph ('The only train opened...') is slightly awkward in its phrasing. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the body paragraphs could be smoother to better guide the reader through the comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'statistical data', 'railway systems', and 'criteria'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'most distance covered is highest' (redundant) and 'showed a increased' (grammatical error). There is also a repetition of basic verbs. To improve, try to use more precise reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'spans', 'commuters', or 'the network extends to'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'number of people using per year were least' (subject-verb agreement) and 'the 19th century in 1863 was London' (awkward structure). There are also minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'the the 5th position'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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