Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-07

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 6.5)

The table illustrates data about the underground railway system in six different cities namely London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles.

Overall, it is clear that in London has the longest route as compared to other cities. Tokyo has the more number of passengers which travels per year, while Kyoto recorded the lowest route among all the cities routes.

Looking at the older systems, the London underground opened first in 1863. It has the longest route length at 394 kilometers and serves 775 million passengers each year. Paris opened next in 1900 with a short route of 199 kilometers, but it carries more passengers than London, at 1191 million. Tokyo's system was opened in 1927 and has 155 kilometers of route, but it has the highest passenger numbers overall with 1,927 million people per year.

On the other hand, the newer systems are much smaller. Washington DC railway system opened in 1976 and has 126 kilometers of route with 144 million passengers. Kyoto and Los Angeles are the smallest systems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You provide a clear overview of the main contrasts: London has the longest route, Tokyo the highest annual passenger figure, and Kyoto the shortest route. The body also compares the three older systems and gives useful figures for London, Paris, Tokyo and Washington DC. This covers the task well, but some information is less fully reported than other parts. In particular, the final paragraph calls Kyoto and Los Angeles the smallest systems without giving their opening dates, route lengths or passenger totals, so the reader cannot compare them precisely. Also, the overview could mention that Tokyo leads in passenger numbers despite having a shorter route than London. Including the missing figures and sharpening that comparison would make the summary more complete and developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two body paragraphs, with a sensible progression from the older systems to the newer ones. Phrases such as “Looking at the older systems” and “On the other hand” help signal the shift between groups, and the figures are generally presented in a logical order. The main limitation is that the final paragraph stops after naming Kyoto and Los Angeles as the smallest systems, leaving this comparison unfinished and weakening the progression. Some linking is also slightly formulaic, but it does not obscure the organisation. To strengthen the flow, group the cities by a clear feature and complete each comparison before moving on, using concise references to the relevant figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “route length,” “opened,” “serves,” and “passenger numbers,” and the meaning is clear throughout. There are also useful attempts to vary expression, such as “recorded the lowest route” and “the newer systems.” However, some choices are imprecise or awkward for describing table data. “The more number of passengers” is not a natural comparative phrase, while “Kyoto recorded the lowest route” would be clearer as a reference to the shortest route. “Short route” for Paris is also potentially misleading because its route is longer than those of several other cities. Aim for precise comparative language and natural collocations when reporting figures; this would make the vocabulary more flexible and accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and several sentences are controlled well, such as “Paris opened next in 1900 with a short route of 199 kilometers, but it carries more passengers than London.” Most grammatical errors do not prevent understanding. Some errors remain, however: “in London has the longest route” has an unnecessary preposition and an incorrect sentence structure, and “Tokyo has the more number of passengers which travels per year” contains problems with comparison and subject–verb agreement. The phrase “Kyoto and Los Angeles are the smallest systems” is grammatically sound, but it needs further information to complete the idea. Review comparative constructions and agreement, and proofread sentence openings to improve accuracy while retaining your range of structures.

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