Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-12
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 illustrates the information about the systems of underground railways in six different cities in different years. Overall, it is noticeable that the highest number of passengers was recorded in Paris, whereas Kyoto and Los Angeles had the lowest passenger numbers in underground railway systems.
Turning to the details, in 1900, 1,191 millions passengers were recorded in Paris. It covered the 394 kilometers of route. Similarly, London had the longest kilometers of route was 394 km and carried 775 millions passengers in 1863. In addition, Tokyo and Washington DC accounted for 1927 and 144 million passengers respectively. The trains covered 155 and 126 kilometers of route in both cities in 1927 and 1976. Lastly, Kyoto and Los Angeles experienced the lowest number of passengers, with 45 and 50 million passengers, with fewer number of routes covered in 1981 and 2001. In conclusion, Kyoto and Los Angeles witnessed the lowest underground railway systems as compared to other cities
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 student successfully covers all parts of the task by selecting and reporting the main features of the underground railway systems table, making relevant comparisons. The response highlights key data points such as the highest passenger numbers in Paris and Tokyo, and the smallest systems in Kyoto and Los Angeles. An overview is provided in the introduction and reinforced in the conclusion, capturing the overall trends. However, there is a minor data inaccuracy in the body paragraph where the student states that London opened in 1863 and had a route of 394 km with Paris data mixed in, though the key metrics are generally addressed. Ideas are appropriately selected and reported, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 6.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is arranged coherently with a clear overall structure consisting of an introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader, such as 'Turning to the details', 'Similarly', and 'In addition'. However, paragraphing is somewhat basic, with all detailed information lumped into a single dense body paragraph. Additionally, referencing is occasionally faulty, as seen in sentences like 'London had the longest kilometers of route was 394 km', which disrupts the logical flow. Paragraphing and cohesive control place this response firmly at Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'illustrates', 'recorded', 'accounted for', and 'experienced'. There are, however, noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'lowest underground railway systems' instead of systems with the lowest usage or smallest scale, and 'fewer number of routes covered'. Some collocation errors occur, such as 'longest kilometers of route'. While communication is clear, these limitations and frequent minor lexical awkwardness restrict the score to a Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, using relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases. Grammatical control is variable. There are several noticeable errors, such as '1,191 millions passengers' (incorrect pluralisation with a number) and 'London had the longest kilometers of route was 394 km' (double finite verb error). Other sentences contain awkward phrasing or missing articles, but they do not impede overall communication. These recurring structural and mechanical errors support a Band 6 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.