Community transit satisfaction survey (CLB 7)
Task prompt
Your city is collecting feedback about local bus and train service. Complete the survey below, giving your opinions on reliability, cleanliness, and what improvements you would suggest. Write in complete sentences where asked.
Your task
Complete a community satisfaction survey about local transit. You must:
- Rate and comment on reliability and cleanliness
- Suggest at least two improvements
- Write in full sentences for open-ended questions
- Use measured, constructive language
Word count target: 120–160 words
Model answer (CLB 7)
Transit Satisfaction Survey — City of Westbrook
How often do you use public transit? 4–5 times per week.
How would you rate the reliability of bus and train service? Fair. The trains are usually on time, but the buses on Route 12 are frequently late, especially during evening rush hour. This makes it difficult to plan my schedule.
How would you rate the cleanliness of vehicles and stations? Fair. The main train station is clean, but the buses often have litter on the seats and floors, particularly on weekday mornings.
What improvements would you suggest? I would suggest two improvements. First, the city should add real-time bus arrival information at all stops, not just the major ones. Second, buses should be cleaned more frequently — at least between the morning and afternoon peak hours. These changes would make the service more comfortable and reliable for daily commuters.
Why this scores CLB 7
| CLB Criterion | What this response does well |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Directly answers every survey question |
| Detail | Specific route (Route 12), specific times (evening rush hour), specific locations (main train station) |
| Organization | Follows survey format; free-text answer structured with two labelled suggestions |
| Tone | Constructive and measured — not a rant |
| Vocabulary | ”real-time arrival information,” “peak hours,” “daily commuters” |
| Grammar | Accurate, mostly simple sentences with some subordination |
Common mistakes at CLB 5–6
| Weak version | Why it loses marks |
|---|---|
| ”Transit is bad. Fix it.” | No specific detail; no constructive tone |
| Rating without explanation | Survey questions marked “write in complete sentences” require explanation |
| Only one suggestion | Prompt asks for improvements (plural) — give at least two |
| ”I hate the bus.” | Emotional, not analytical — lowers register score |
Examiner tip
Survey tasks reward specificity and balance. Examiners are not looking for complaints — they are looking to see whether you can express measured, organized opinions in writing. Always name the specific problem (which route, which station, which time), then offer a realistic fix. Two well-developed suggestions beat five vague ones.