Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-08

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)

Table compares between the underground railway systems of 6 cities (London, Paris, Tokyo ,Washington ,Kyoto and LA ).

Overall ,the data shows that passengers number in cities is'nt related with the number of km or the date opned .Paris lines accurated the highest number of people where kyoto recorded the least of the 6 cities.

The first opned underground railway system was in london in 1863 which accurated 775 million passenger per year ,meanwhile after 37 year Paris opend and accounted more than the passengers of London lines ,Paris recorded 1191 million passenger per year. 27 years after paris ,Tokyo opned and made up 1927 million which was the highest number of passengers in the 6 cities.

Then, Washington opend and stand at 144 million passenger oer year. the least one is kyoto even when it opend before Los Angeles by 20 years it recorded 45 million ,while LA 50 million passenger .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the table’s subject and give a useful overview, noting that Tokyo has the highest passenger total and Kyoto the lowest. You also compare London and Paris and mention the later-opening systems. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: Paris does not have the highest passenger figure; Tokyo does. The claim that passenger numbers are not related to route length or opening date is also broad and not clearly demonstrated. Several key comparisons are missing, especially London’s longest route (394 km) and the contrast between route length and passenger use. To strengthen the response, select the most significant figures accurately and organise the overview around the oldest/largest network and the highest/lowest passenger totals.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological account of several systems. Time markers such as “after 37 year” and “Then” help show sequence, and the London–Paris comparison is relevant. However, progression is not consistently clear because the account moves from opening dates to passenger totals without a stable comparison principle. The final sentence combines Washington, Kyoto, and Los Angeles, making the relationships between these figures difficult to follow. Some linking words, including “meanwhile” and “even when,” do not express the intended relationship precisely. Grouping the older systems together and the newer, smaller systems together, with clear comparisons within each paragraph, would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “underground railway systems,” “passengers per year,” and “recorded,” and you attempt to describe comparisons. However, the range is limited, and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make the meaning less clear. For example, “accurated” is not appropriate for reporting figures, while “passengers number” and “the least one” are unnatural expressions. Spelling errors such as “opned” and “oer” are also noticeable. Use precise reporting verbs and standard data language, such as “stood at,” “carried,” “route length,” and “the lowest figure.” Proofreading spelling and choosing natural collocations would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which was the highest number” and a contrast using “while.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences awkward or difficult to read. Examples include “Table compares,” “the data shows,” and “after 37 year Paris opend,” where articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries need attention. The final sentence also shifts between sentence fragments and a long, loosely connected structure. Practise forming complete sentences with accurate articles and plural forms, and use punctuation to separate comparisons. A reliable pattern such as “Tokyo opened in 1927 and carried 1,927 million passengers annually” would help.

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.