Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-01

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 7.5)

The table provides information about underground railway systems in six cities, including the year they opened, the length of their routes, and the number of passengers they carry annually.

Overall, London has the oldest and longest underground railway system, while Tokyo has the highest number of passengers per year. In contrast, Kyoto has by far the shortest route and the lowest passenger figure.

London’s underground system was opened in 1863, making it the oldest among the six cities, and it has a total route length of 394 kilometres. However, it carries 775 million passengers annually, which is considerably fewer than Paris and Tokyo. Paris opened its system in 1900, with a route of 199 kilometres, and serves 1,191 million passengers each year.

Tokyo’s railway system, established in 1927, is shorter than Paris’s at 155 kilometres, but it has the highest annual passenger number, at 1,927 million. Washington DC, opened in 1976, has 126 kilometres of track and serves 144 million passengers. Finally, Kyoto and Los Angeles have much smaller systems, with routes of 11 and 28 kilometres and annual passenger numbers of 45 and 50 million, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main features, such as London being the oldest and longest-running system, and Tokyo having the highest passenger volume. Comparisons are made throughout, such as contrasting the route lengths of Paris and Tokyo or the passenger figures of the older and newer systems. The data is accurately reported, and the overview provides a clear summary of the key trends. All parts of the prompt are addressed, and the information is well-selected to highlight the most significant differences between the six cities.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', and 'Finally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the comparisons. The referencing is clear, and the flow between sentences is smooth. The structure is coherent, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information precisely. Terms like 'annually', 'established', 'considerably fewer', and 'respectively' demonstrate a good command of language suitable for an academic report. The vocabulary is accurate and fits the context of describing statistical data. While the range is solid, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'system' or 'route' could elevate the response further. Overall, the lexical control is strong and supports clear communication throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'which is considerably fewer than Paris and Tokyo' and 'making it the oldest among the six cities'. The grammar is highly accurate, with no significant errors that impede meaning. Punctuation is used correctly, and the control over verb tenses (past for opening dates, present for current statistics) is appropriate. The majority of the sentences are error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence.

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

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