Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-31
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 shows information about six cities, including the dates when their metro system opened, the kilometers of route and the number of passengers per year in millions .Overall, London has the oldest metro system, while Los Angeles has the newest one. Tokyo has the highest number of passengers, whereas Kyoto has the lowest. London's underground opened in 1863 and has 394 kilometers of route. It carries 775 million passengers per year. Paris opened its metro in 1900, with 199 kilometers of routes andg 1,191 million passengers annually. Tokyo's system was opened in 1927 and it has 155 kilometers of route. However, it is the busiest system with 1,927 million passengers per year.
Washington DC opened in 1976 and has 126 kilometers of route, carrying 144 million passengers. Kyoto has the shortest route at only 11 kilometers and it carries just 45 million passengerse.
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 six cities and includes the key data points required. However, the report is incomplete as it fails to mention Los Angeles in the final paragraph, leaving the data for that city unsummarised. Furthermore, the response falls below the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. While the overview is clear and identifies the main trends, the omission of the final city and the insufficient length prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is generally coherent, with a logical progression from an overview to specific details. Paragraphing is used to separate the cities, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and repetitive. The transition between the first and second paragraphs is abrupt, and the lack of a concluding summary or a more integrated comparison between the cities limits the flow. The structure is functional but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for clear communication of the data. You use appropriate terms such as 'metro system', 'annually', and 'busiest'. However, there are minor spelling errors, such as 'routes andg' and 'passengerse', which suggest a lack of proofreading. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and relies heavily on the language provided in the prompt. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'opened', 'route', and 'passengers' to demonstrate a wider lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound, such as 'London's underground opened in 1863 and has 394 kilometers of route.' However, there are occasional errors, such as the typo 'routes andg' and the pluralization error 'passengerse'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful attention to detail. The range of structures is sufficient for the task, but more variety in sentence starters and complex clauses would enhance the quality.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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