Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 provides a descriptive overview of underground railway systems across six cities.

Overall, it provides a detailed information of the railway systems in terms of city, their opening dates. total kilometers of routes and total number of passengers each year.

Among all the cities, London has the oldest railway systems dating all the way from the year 1863, followed by Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles. Los Angeles has the most recent underground railway systems opened in the year 2001.

While taking in account for the Kilometers of Route, London has recorded the highest which is 394 whereas the lowest is recorded by Kyoto city which happens to be 11.

Tokyo city demonstrates the highest number of passengers per year which is 1927 followed by Paris which is 1191 and the lowest number of passengers is being demonstrated by Kyoto city.

In Conclusion, it is being observed that the concentration of passengers taking underground railway systems is highest in Tokyo city. As far as kilometers and opening date is concerned London is having the highest and earliest number,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the table, including dates, route lengths, and passenger numbers. You successfully identified the oldest and newest systems, as well as the extremes for route length and passenger volume. However, the analysis is somewhat descriptive and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the data. For instance, while you mention the extremes, you could have grouped the cities by their age or size to provide a more analytical overview. The conclusion is a bit repetitive and ends abruptly with a comma rather than a full stop, which slightly impacts the overall clarity of the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'While taking in account for' and 'followed by', which help the flow. However, the paragraphing is a bit thin, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The final sentence is incomplete, which disrupts the coherence of the conclusion. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus and that all sentences are grammatically complete to maintain a smooth progression of ideas throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'descriptive overview', 'concentration of passengers', and 'demonstrates'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'detailed information of' (should be 'detailed information about') and 'taking in account for' (should be 'taking into account'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the variety and precision required for a higher band. Incorporating more precise reporting verbs and comparative adjectives would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'London is having the highest' (should be 'London has the highest') and 'the lowest number of passengers is being demonstrated' (passive voice is used unnecessarily here). Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as the comma at the end of the final sentence instead of a period. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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