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 demonstrates the data about underground railways system in six different cities.

Overall, the first underground railway system was constructed in 1863 in London. Moreover, the longest route of underground railways is also in London. However, in Tokyo, 1927 million individuals travels from underground railways.

Initially, in 1863, the first underground railway system was opened in London, compared to the new one who was started in Los Angeles in 2001. Moreover, the most extended route of railway is in London at 394 kilometers. However, the shortest route who is just 11 kilometers long is in Kyoto. In addition, the second and third most longest routes are in Paris and Tokyo at 199 kilometers and 155 kilometers respectively.

Yearly, 1927 million passengers utilize undergone railways in Tokyo that is the highest number of passengers over any other city. Conversely, just 45 million individuals travels through undergone railways the lowest number of passengers than any other city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important features accurately: London is the oldest system and has the longest route, while Tokyo records the highest annual passenger figure. You also compare the route lengths and mention the newest system in Los Angeles. This gives the response a relevant overview and covers the main categories in the table. However, some information is less fully reported: Washington DC is omitted, and the passenger figures for London, Paris, Washington DC and Los Angeles are not compared. The statement that “just 45 million” is the lowest figure is also inaccurate, because Los Angeles has 50 million, but Kyoto’s 45 million is indeed the lowest. Include a concise comparison of the passenger totals and all six cities to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs about route length and passenger use. This helps the reader follow the main comparisons. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “However,” and “Conversely” show an effort to connect ideas, but some are used mechanically or do not express the relationship accurately; for example, “However” does not establish a clear contrast in the overview. The final paragraph also moves directly from Tokyo’s highest figure to Kyoto’s lowest without explaining the comparison, and Washington DC is left out. Grouping the figures more systematically—for example, older versus newer systems, then highest versus lowest passenger totals—would create clearer progression and more effective cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “longest route,” “shortest route,” “kilometers,” and “passengers,” so the main information is generally understandable. There are also attempts at less common wording, such as “most extended,” but this is not a natural collocation in this context. “Underground railways system” and “undergone railways” are inaccurate word choices, while “individuals” is unnecessarily formal for passengers. Repetition of “route” and “passengers” also limits the range. Aim for precise, conventional data-reporting language, such as “network,” “carried,” and “annual ridership,” and check that each term accurately describes the figures. This would make the vocabulary more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including comparisons introduced by “compared to” and “while”-type contrasts, and the intended meaning is usually clear. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with subject–verb agreement and relative clauses. For example, “1927 million individuals travels” should use a plural verb, and “the shortest route who is just 11 kilometers long” needs a relative clause referring to a route, not a person. The phrase “the second and third most longest routes” also has an incorrect superlative construction. Review agreement, relative pronouns, and comparative forms, and vary sentence patterns while keeping them controlled. These corrections would improve accuracy without sacrificing the clear basic message.

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