Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-16

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 provide comparison of passengers per year in six different cities travelled underground railway system

Overall,it is evident that Tokyo has large number of passengers travelled as compared to other cities whereas Kyoto has least number of passengers and shortest distance to travell. London has long route and the oldest underground railway system.

London railway system was the oldest railway system opened in 1863 with the longest route of 394 kilometers.In London passenger per year was at 775 miilions less than Paris at 1191 millions per year.Paris has the second longest route of 199 kilometers where as Tokyo was at 155 kilometers and opened in 1927.

Tokyo have the highest number of passengers per year 1927 millions .Kyoto has the least number of passengers 45 millions with the shortest route in contrast Los Angeles was opened in 2001 with the second lowest travellers 50 millions . Washigton DC was opened in 1976 but has higher passengers 144 millions per year as compared to Kyoto.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main comparisons: Tokyo has the highest annual passenger figure, Kyoto the lowest and shortest route, and London the oldest system with the longest route. You also include relevant figures for Paris, Washington DC, and Los Angeles, so the response covers the table rather than focusing on only one feature. However, some comparisons are less fully developed: for example, the opening dates of most systems are not compared as a sequence, and the route lengths and passenger totals could be grouped more systematically. The overview is useful, but “large number” and “least number” would be clearer if tied directly to the figures. More precise selection and comparison of the key patterns would strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an overview followed by paragraphs containing comparisons, and the reader can generally follow the information. Grouping London and Paris before discussing the other cities gives some organisation. However, progression is uneven: the final paragraph moves between Tokyo, Kyoto, Los Angeles, and Washington without a clear organising principle. Linking phrases such as “whereas” and “in contrast” are attempted, but some connections are awkward or do not clearly show the relationship between the figures. The opening sentence also does not establish the table’s full scope clearly. Organise the details by a consistent pattern—for example, oldest/largest systems and then newer/smaller ones—and use references and transitions more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “oldest,” “longest route,” “shortest route,” and “passengers per year.” These terms help communicate the main comparisons. However, the range is limited and some phrases are repetitive or imprecise, such as “number of passengers travelled” and “second lowest travellers.” There are also spelling errors, including “miilions” and “Washigton,” and some collocations are unnatural. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, but they reduce precision and control. Aim to use standard data-reporting expressions consistently, such as “annual passenger numbers,” “carried,” and “route length,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparative sentences, and the main information is usually understandable. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, with errors in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries. For example, “The table provide” should be “The table provides,” and “Tokyo have” should be “Tokyo has.” The opening phrase “six different cities travelled underground railway system” lacks a clear grammatical connection, while “London railway system was the oldest railway system opened in 1863” needs a more controlled clause structure. Punctuation spacing is also inconsistent. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and build comparisons with complete, clearly punctuated sentences; this will make your range of structures more effective.

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