Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-09

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 illustrates data about the underground railway systems in six different cities.

Overall it can be seen that, Tokyo had significant number of passengers per year than Paris, and the Paris had greater number of passengers than London, while the London started its underground railway system before the Paris, and similarly, Paris started before the Tokyo. Kyoto and Los Angeles had comparatively less number of passengers per year.

Looking at the details, London opened in 1863, with the 394 kilometers of route, and the number of passengers was 775 millions per year, while the Paris started in 1900, with the 199 kilometers of route, and had a higher number of passengers of 1191; however, Tokyo opened underground railway system to around 27 years later to the Paris, with the 155 kilometers of route, and had a highest number of passengers of 1927 millions per year. In contrast, Kyoto and Los Angeles started in 1981 and 2001, with 11 and 28 kilometers of route, and the numbers of passengers were lowest to 45 and 50 millions respectively. Washing on DC opened underground railway system roughly 5 years before the Kyoto, with 126 kilometers of route, and comparatively had more number of passengers of 144 millions per annum.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the table, including dates, route lengths, and passenger numbers. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the contrast between older, larger systems like London and newer, smaller ones like Kyoto and Los Angeles. However, the overview is slightly cluttered with specific data points rather than focusing on the broader trends. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview highlights the most significant relationships (e.g., the inverse relationship between the age of the system and the number of passengers) without including specific figures. The comparison between cities is generally clear and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'while', 'however', and 'in contrast' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow within the second paragraph is somewhat repetitive due to the structure of reporting data city by city. Improving the variety of linking phrases and ensuring that the progression of ideas feels more natural would enhance the coherence. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general overview from the detailed analysis.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'significant', and 'per annum'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'comparatively less number of passengers' (should be 'a smaller number of passengers') and 'opened underground railway system to around 27 years later' (should be 'opened... 27 years after'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in articles (e.g., 'the Paris', 'the London') and prepositions (e.g., 'opened... to around 27 years later'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'the numbers of passengers were lowest to 45 and 50 millions respectively'. These errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable. To improve, focus on the correct use of articles with proper nouns and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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