Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-08
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 given table is showing the information about the underground railway systems in six cities from the years [redacted phone].
We can see that Tokyo had the highest number of passengers in the year 1927 that is 1927 (in millions) with 155 kilometers of route and Kyoto had the lowest number of passengers in the year 1981 that is 45 million in a year with only 11 kilometers of route.
It is shown that London railway had the 3rd most passengers in a year but the kilometers it ran was the highest which is 394 and the lowest being the same which is Kyoto. The number of passengers increased from 775 in the year 1863 in London to 1927 in the year 1927 but drastically decreased after that to 45 and then slightly went upward to 50 passengers.
By looking at the table, we know how the number of passengers at first inclined and declined in the respective years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all six cities and includes key data points. However, the analysis is flawed. You incorrectly suggest a chronological progression of passengers (e.g., 'increased from 775 in 1863... to 1927 in 1927'), implying these figures represent a single system's growth over time, rather than comparing six distinct systems. This misinterpretation of the data significantly impacts the quality of the report. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the different cities and focus on comparing their respective statistics (route length vs. passenger volume) rather than creating a false narrative of chronological change.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the logical progression is weak because the comparisons are confusing. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as 'It is shown that' and 'By looking at the table'. The referencing is also unclear; for instance, the sentence 'the lowest being the same which is Kyoto' is grammatically awkward and makes the relationship between the data points difficult to follow. More varied linking words and clearer sentence structures are needed to improve the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic verbs like 'showing', 'had', and 'ran'. There is a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language. Phrases like 'slightly went upward' are informal and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'commenced operations', 'extensive network', or 'passenger throughput'. The repetition of 'number of passengers' also limits the lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The given table is showing' should be 'The table shows'. The sentence 'Tokyo had the highest number of passengers in the year 1927 that is 1927' is poorly constructed and confusing. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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