Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-24
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 7.0)
The table illustrates the information about underground railway systems in London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles. Units are measured in percentages and kilometres.
Overall, it is clear that Tokyo has the highest number of passengers per year, while Kyoto has the lowest number in the figure. London is the oldest underground railway system in the figure, where Los Angeles is the newest one.
To begin with, the London underground railway system was opened in 1863, and also boasts the longest route network at 394 kilometres. Paris and Tokyo opened considerably later in 1900 and 1927 respectively, with route lengths of 199 and 155 kilometres. Washington DC, by contrast, opened in 1976 with 126 kilometres of route. Kyoto and Los Angeles opened in 1981 and 2001 with route lengths of 11 and 28 kilometres, which are both the lowest in the figure.
On the other hand, the Tokyo underground railway system was by far the busiest, carrying 1927 million passengers annually despite having a considerably smaller network than London. Paris also carried more passengers than London, at 1191 million, compared to London's 775 million per year. Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles carried fewer passengers ranging from 45 to 144 million per year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response effectively covers all parts of the task by selecting, reporting, and comparing the main features of the underground railway systems across the six cities. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the extremes regarding passenger numbers, opening dates, and route lengths. Key data points, such as Tokyo carrying the highest number of passengers (1927 million) despite having a smaller network than London, and London having the longest route (394 km) and oldest opening date (1863), are accurately reported. Data is well-selected to make relevant comparisons, demonstrating a clear understanding of the table. The student fulfills all requirements of Academic Task 1 successfully, earning a strong band score for this criterion.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The response is logically organised with a clear progression from an introductory statement and general overview to detailed body paragraphs comparing dates, route lengths, and passenger volumes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different categories of information (dates/routes in paragraph three, passenger numbers in paragraph four). Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'by contrast', and 'On the other hand' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the data. Referencing is clear throughout, and the essay flows naturally from one idea to the next without noticeable awkwardness.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is generally accurate and appropriate for an academic report, with good use of functional terms such as 'illustrates', 'considerably', 'respectively', and 'annually'. However, there is a minor inaccuracy in the introduction where the student states that '[u]nits are measured in percentages and kilometres', whereas the data actually features passenger numbers in millions rather than percentages. Despite this minor slip, the range of vocabulary is sufficient to allow some flexibility and precision, successfully conveying comparisons using terms like 'busiest', 'longest', and 'newest'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a good variety of sentence structures, combining simple statements with complex sentences containing relative clauses ('where Los Angeles is the newest one', 'which are both the lowest in the figure') and participial phrases. The vast majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is consistently strong throughout the text. Punctuation is used accurately, and minor errors are virtually absent. The command of grammar easily supports clear and precise communication of the graphical data.
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