Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-19

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 underground railway systems that were establish in six different cities. The information includes the date opened, the length of the road, and the passengers per year.

Overall, it is evident that, the London railway routes was the longest one, whereas the Kyoto had the shortest rail and the Los Angeles started the latest.

To begin with, In terms of passengers per year, Tokyo witnessed the highest number with 1927 million, followed by paris with 1191 million, making it second-largest customers, while Kyoto showed least figures among others. Furthermore, for the length of the route, London has the longest route that is around 397 km, considerably more than any other cities. In constrast, the shortest group are Los Angeles and Kyoto which is 28 km and 11 km respectively.

On the other hand, In terms of opening time, London operated the railroad in 1863, followed by Paris after 37 years. In 1927, Tokyo came in the business as well as Los Angeles opened the underground railway network in 2001.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the table’s subject and give a relevant overview, noting London’s longest route, Kyoto’s shortest, and Los Angeles as the newest system. You also compare passenger totals and opening dates, so the main categories are represented. However, some key details are missing or inaccurate: London’s route is 394 km, not “around 397 km,” and the opening-date account omits Washington DC and Kyoto. The overview could also capture the striking contrast that Tokyo has the most passengers despite having a shorter route than London. Several comparisons are asserted without enough precise support, and “Kyoto showed least figures” does not clearly specify the passenger figure. Select the most important patterns and report the data accurately and completely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs organised around passenger numbers, route length, and opening dates. This gives the reader a basic path through the information. However, progression within the paragraphs is uneven: the first body paragraph moves between passengers and route length, while the final paragraph discusses opening dates but leaves out two cities. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “Furthermore,” and “On the other hand” are used, but some do not clearly express the relationship between the points that follow. Improve cohesion by grouping related comparisons consistently and using transitions that signal comparison or contrast precisely. Check punctuation after introductory phrases, as inconsistent capitalisation and commas also interrupt the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing a table, including “witnessed,” “followed by,” “considerably more,” and “shortest.” These choices help communicate comparisons, but several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural for this topic. “Length of the road” and “railroad” are less precise than “route length” and “railway system,” while “second-largest customers” does not describe passenger totals naturally. “Started the latest” is also an awkward way to describe the most recently opened system. There are spelling errors in “constrast” and inconsistent capitalisation of “Paris.” Aim for precise, conventional data-reporting language and avoid substituting figurative or general terms where a specific transport term is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a comparison with “whereas” and a sentence using “followed by.” However, errors in agreement, articles, punctuation, and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “the London railway routes was” has a plural subject with a singular verb, and “the Kyoto had the shortest rail” uses an unnecessary article. The opening sentence should use “were established,” not “were establish.” In “the shortest group are Los Angeles and Kyoto which is,” the plural subject conflicts with “is,” and the relative clause is awkwardly attached. Capitalisation after sentence breaks is also inconsistent. Review subject–verb agreement and build shorter, controlled comparison sentences before adding more complex clauses.

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