Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-05
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 compares the underground railway systems in six different cities including London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto, and Los Angeles.
Overall, London railway is the oldest railway across all six cities, whereas Los Angeles opened lately. London has the highest route. However, Kyoto has the smallest route and the lowest number of passengers per year.
London opened in 1863, which is the oldest railway underground system. It covers the greatest distance at 394 kilometers and carries passengers 775 million per year. Paris is the second oldest underground systems, which opened in 1900 . it has a 199 km route and 1191million passengers. However, Kyoto covers only 11 km and 45 million passengers.
Washington Dc is opened in 1976, it has 144 million passengers and 126 km route. Furthermore, Tokeyo established in 1927 and it has a 155 km route. It carreies 1927 passengers, which is the the highest number of passengers. Los Angeles is the newest underground railway station, opened in 2000. It covers 28 km route and carries 50 million passengers.
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
The response addresses the task only partially because while it covers most of the cities and key data points such as opening dates, route lengths, and passenger numbers, some key features are under-developed or inaccurately described. For instance, the writer states that Tokyo carries 1927 passengers, misinterpreting the table where 1927 represents the year and the passenger figure is actually missing or conflated. Furthermore, the selection of data lacks a fully clear overview, as the summary in the second paragraph mentions general trends but misses a comprehensive comparative synthesis. To move to a higher band, the student must ensure data is accurately transcribed from the prompt without confusing years with quantities, and provide a more fully developed selection of main trends comparing all cities effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is some organisation in the response, but it lacks a clear overall progression. The information is grouped into paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and an overview, followed by specific details in subsequent paragraphs. However, the logical flow between sentences and paragraphs is frequently disjointed. Cohesive devices are minimal, inadequate, and sometimes repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'However' and basic conjunctions like 'and'. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal paragraph cohesion suffers from abrupt shifts between cities without smooth transitions. To improve Coherence and Cohesion, the writer should employ a wider and more accurate range of cohesive devices to link ideas logically and ensure each paragraph has a clear thematic progression that connects smoothly to the next.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to transport and statistics, such as 'underground railway systems', 'route', and 'passengers per year', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'London has the highest route' instead of 'the longest route', and spelling errors like 'Tokeyo' and 'carreies'. These lexical slips and inaccuracies sometimes cause difficulty or require the reader to pause. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to use a broader range of precise vocabulary appropriate for reporting statistical data, such as synonyms for 'increases', 'covers', and 'carries', while paying closer attention to correct word formation, spelling, and collocational patterns.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, with frequent attempts at complex sentences that often turn out faulty. There are numerous grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies and awkward phrasing such as 'Los Angeles opened lately', 'Washington Dc is opened in 1976, it has...', and punctuation mistakes like a space before the full stop in '1900 . it has'. These frequent errors in verb forms, prepositions within grammatical patterns, and punctuation can cause difficulty and distraction for the reader. To improve in this area, the student should practice forming complex sentences with accurate subordination, maintain consistent and correct past tenses for historical data, and ensure careful proofreading of punctuation and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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