Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-09

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)

This report will describe a table giving some information about railway systems under the ground in six cities. Overall, it can be seen that the opening dates of the systems in each cities are different from one another, as well as how many kilometers of routes have been driven depending on the dates it opened.

The table listed the cities in order from the earliest to the latest opening on the 'date opened' section with London at the top in year 1863 and Los Angeles on the bottom, 2001. For instance, London's underground railway has gone 394 kilometers of route since initiation, which is the highest kilometer count among the six cities. However, the railway which has traveled the least kilometers is Kyoto even though it was opened 20 years before Los Angeles.

As for amount of passengers that has used the underground transportation, Tokyo held the most number of 1927 million passengers throughout a year. Thus, how many people have used the underground railway is relevant for each cities, despite the time it was opened or the kilometer count. For Kyoto, it stayed at the bottom with only 45 million passengers per year which is less from Los Angeles' by 5 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the table’s subject and report several key figures, including London’s 394-kilometre network, Tokyo’s 1,927 million passengers, and Kyoto’s low passenger total. You also note the earliest and latest opening dates. However, the overview is not sufficiently focused on the main comparisons: it does not clearly summarise that London has the longest route, Tokyo the highest annual usage, and Kyoto the shortest route and lowest usage. Paris and Washington DC receive no specific comparison, and the claim that passenger numbers are “relevant” regardless of opening date or route length is unclear rather than a supported trend. Select and compare the most important extremes and include more of the table’s figures to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by paragraphs on opening dates, route length, and passenger numbers. This makes the information reasonably easy to follow. Some linking and reference, however, are mechanical or unclear. For example, “Thus” does not establish a clear logical connection between Tokyo’s passenger total and the following generalisation, while “it stayed at the bottom” leaves the reader to infer whether “it” means Kyoto’s passenger figure or the city’s overall position. The overview also combines several points without establishing a clear hierarchy. Use more precise references and organise the body around the main comparisons, such as network size and passenger use.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main data, including “opening dates,” “kilometers of route,” and “passengers per year.” There is also some variation in phrasing. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural for describing a table: “railway systems under the ground,” “kilometers of routes have been driven,” and “the railway which has traveled the least kilometers” suggest trains travelling rather than the length of a network. “Held the most number” and “stayed at the bottom” are also imprecise. Prefer standard data-reporting language such as “underground systems,” “route length,” “had the highest passenger total,” and “recorded the lowest figure.” This would make comparisons clearer and more appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “even though” and “despite,” and the main comparisons are generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain. In “each cities,” the singular determiner conflicts with the plural noun; “the amount of passengers that has used” has agreement problems; and “less from Los Angeles’ by 5 million” is not formed correctly as a comparison. The sentence beginning “Thus, how many people have used…” is also awkwardly constructed, making the relationship between ideas difficult to follow. Aim for accurate patterns such as “each city,” “the number of passengers who use,” and “5 million fewer than Los Angeles.” Check agreement and comparative structures when editing.

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