Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02
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 tabular data illustrates regarding underground railway system in six major cities.
Considering from an overall perspective, it can be comprehensively observed that London subway has the longest route and noticeably, it is the oldest underground railway. However, Tokyo subway has the highest passenger recorded. And Kyoto and Los Angeles trains has the shortest route and lowest passenger as well.
To begin with, London metro system was the oldest and started in 1863 and it runs 394 kilometers and it carries 775 millions passengers per year. In contrast, Paris runs 199 kilometers and it has 1191 millions commuters and it started to run in 1900. Moreover, Tokyo subway system has the highest travelling public with 1927 millions and it has 155 kilometer route and it was invented in 1927.
Furthermore, Washington DC underground transit system install in 1976 and it runs 126 kilometers with carrying 144 millions travellers per year. However, Kyoto underground rail network was inaugurate in 1981 with 11 kilometers route and the it carries average 45 millions commuters per year. Los Angeles metro system carries average 50 millions passengers per year and it travels 28 kilometer daily and it started to run in 2001, the latest train among all.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully identifies the main features of the data, such as the oldest system (London) and the highest passenger volume (Tokyo). It makes relevant comparisons between the cities, grouping them logically. However, the overview is slightly repetitive, and some data points could be more effectively synthesized rather than just listed. For instance, the comparison between the older, larger systems and the newer, smaller ones could be more explicitly highlighted to improve the analytical quality of the response. Overall, all parts of the prompt are addressed, and the key information is accurately reported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', 'However'). Some sentences are linked using simple conjunctions like 'and', which makes the flow feel a bit choppy at times. Improving the variety of linking words and using more sophisticated referencing would elevate the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the data clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'inaugurate' and 'commuters', which is positive. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'invented in 1927' (railway systems are 'opened' or 'established') and 'install in 1976' (should be 'was installed'). Additionally, 'travelling public' is slightly awkward in this context. Expanding the range of synonyms for 'increase', 'decrease', and 'compare' would help achieve a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and tense consistency. Examples include 'Kyoto and Los Angeles trains has' (should be 'have'), 'system install in 1976' (should be 'was installed'), and 'the it carries' (a redundant 'the'). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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