Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-07
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 underground train in six cities. Overall, it is evident that the highest ratio of using train in Paris while the lowest value in Los Angeles.
In 1863, London opened the first public transport along 394 kilometers route with 775 passengers. On the other side, Paris started in 1900 but the people ratio significantly higher than london. However Tokyo had the highest value of people traveling through public transport is about 1927 millions. The paris route is half of London.
Moreover, Washington DC was open in 1976 and kyoto in 1981. These cities have 5 years difference in opening but the passenger figure of Washington DC is approximately 3 times higher than kyoto. The Washington DC and kyoto route difference is about 115 kilometers. At Last, Los Angeles and Kyoto passenger value almost same but the route of Los Angeles was longer.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. While the report covers all six cities and includes some comparisons, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The overview is present but lacks precision, as it refers to a 'ratio' rather than absolute numbers. Furthermore, some data points are misinterpreted or inaccurately stated, such as the claim that Paris's route is half of London's (199 vs 394). To improve, ensure all data is accurately transcribed and provide a more comprehensive comparison of the trends, such as the relationship between the age of the system and the number of passengers.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the transition 'On the other side' used to introduce Paris. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where the comparison between Washington DC and Kyoto feels abrupt. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect sentences and ideas more naturally, ensuring that the logical flow between comparisons is smoother and more explicit.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic terminology, such as 'highest value' and 'people ratio', which is not entirely accurate in this context. The word 'ratio' is misused, as the table provides raw numbers rather than proportions. To improve, incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'figures', 'statistics', 'commuters', or 'annual ridership'. Additionally, ensure that terms are used in their correct collocations to avoid ambiguity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the highest ratio of using train in Paris while the lowest value in Los Angeles' (missing verb) and 'the people ratio significantly higher than london' (missing verb and capitalization). There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and pay closer attention to capitalization of proper nouns like 'London' and 'Kyoto'.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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