Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03
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 given chart provides the information about underground railway system in six different cities. In London, uderground railway opened in 1863 and its kilometers of route is 394 which is higher than other cities. The passenger per year is 775 million. If we see Paris ratio, it was opened in 1900 and its kilometer of route is 199 and the passengers ratio per year is 1191 million which is the highest ratio. In Tokyo, the opened date was 1927 and its kilometer of route is almost 155 and the peoples travel per year is 1927 million. On the otherhand, in Washingon DC it was opened in 1976 and its route is 126 and the passenger ratio per year is 144 million. In Kyoto, underground railway was opened in 1981 and its route is 11 which is the lowest route in chart and the ratio of passenger per year is 45 million. At the last, there was Los Angeles railway was opened in 2001 and its routes is almost 28 and passenger per year is 50 million.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have successfully identified the main features of the table, such as the oldest system (London) and the highest passenger volume (Tokyo). However, the response lacks an overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1. You have simply listed the data for each city sequentially rather than grouping the information or making meaningful comparisons. For instance, you could have contrasted the older, larger systems like London and Paris with the newer, smaller ones like Kyoto and Los Angeles. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the trends and group the data logically instead of reporting each city individually.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized in a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow. A well-structured report should have an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group related data. While you use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'At the last', the progression of ideas is mechanical. The text feels like a list of facts rather than a cohesive summary. To improve, use paragraph breaks to separate your overview from the detailed data analysis and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your comparisons more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive. You frequently use the phrases 'kilometers of route' and 'passenger per year'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'If we see Paris ratio' and 'peoples travel', which are not natural collocations in this context. To achieve a higher band, try to use a wider range of synonyms and more precise terminology, such as 'network length' instead of 'kilometers of route' and 'annual ridership' instead of 'passengers per year'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that affect the flow of the text. There are frequent issues with articles (e.g., 'in Washingon DC', 'in Kyoto, underground railway'), subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'its routes is'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple, and there is a lack of complex structures. For example, 'In London, uderground railway opened in 1863 and its kilometers of route is 394' could be improved by using a relative clause or a participle phrase. Focus on proofreading for basic errors like missing articles and pluralization to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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