Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-02

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 6.0)

The table above is describing the information about the underground railway system in six different cities with proper details of year and number of passengers .

The very first railway system was opened in 1863 with a 394 k.m. of route in London and the number of people who used railway was 775 million which is almost half for the Paris and it was in 1900 with 199 kilometres of route . In Washington DC and Kyoto , railway systems was invented in 1976 & 1981 respectively with 126 k.m. of route for Washigton and only 11 k.m. route for Kyoto and it had low number of people per year from the rest of all and Los Angeles ranked the second last for passengers . However the Tokyo tops the list for passengers and it was invented in 1927 with 155 k.m. of route .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all six cities and includes the required data points. However, the report is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the depth of analysis. While you have identified the main features, such as Tokyo having the highest passenger numbers and London being the oldest, the comparison between cities is somewhat superficial. The statement regarding Paris having 'almost half' the passengers of London is factually incorrect based on the table (1191 million vs 775 million). To improve, ensure you accurately interpret the data and provide a more comprehensive overview that highlights significant trends or contrasts rather than just listing facts for each city individually.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is presented as a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow. A report of this nature should be structured with an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and body paragraphs that group information logically (e.g., by age or passenger volume). While there is some attempt at linking ideas using words like 'However' and 'respectively', the flow is hindered by the lack of paragraphing and some awkward phrasing. Using more varied cohesive devices and clear paragraph breaks would significantly improve the logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. You rely on basic verbs like 'opened', 'used', and 'invented'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied terminology related to data reporting, such as 'commenced operations', 'annual ridership', or 'extensive network'. There are also minor issues with word choice, such as using 'invented' for a railway system, which is less appropriate than 'established' or 'inaugurated'. Expanding your range of academic vocabulary will help you convey information more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'railway systems was invented' (subject-verb agreement), 'the rest of all' (awkward phrasing), and 'Tokyo tops the list' (article usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before periods and commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the clarity of your report. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation will help improve your accuracy.

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