Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-26

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 6.5)

The given table provides data about the underground railway systems in six cities including, London, Paris, Tokyo, Wastington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles.

Overall, the oldest and the largest railway system is located in London, while Los Angeles and Kyoto contain the shortest and the newest train systems. However, the railway system of Tokyo accounts for the largest share of passengers.

Looking into the table in more detail, the oldest and the longest route for train is present in London, which covers a 394 km distance. Paris ranks second with a 199 km route which was formed in 1900. Then this followed by Tokyo and Washington DC which contain a 155 km and a 126 km railway routes, opened in 1927 and 1976 respectively. Furthermore, the most recent train system is situated in Kyoto and Los Angeles that were inaugurated in 1981 and 2001 respectively. Additionally, they are the shortest tracks of trains among all six cities.

In terms of passengers, Tokyo observed the highest number of passengers of about 1927 million, while Paris ranked second with 1191 million, followed by London and Washington DC with 775 million and 144 million respectively. Conversely, Kyoto and Los Angeles reported the least number of passengers, with 45 million and 50 million respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear overview and effectively reporting the main features of the table. Key comparisons are made regarding the oldest, largest, shortest, and newest systems, as well as passenger volumes. For instance, the writer accurately highlights that London is the oldest and longest system while Tokyo handles the highest number of passengers. The information is accurately selected from the stimulus, fulfilling the requirements for an Academic Task 1 response at a high level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. An introductory paragraph is followed by a concise overview, a detailed breakdown of the dates and lengths, and finally a section dedicated to passenger numbers. Paragraphing is used appropriately. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking into the table in more detail', 'Furthermore', and 'Conversely' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the data, although there is a slight mechanical feel to some transition phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for discussing statistical data. Phrases like 'accounts for the largest share', 'inaugurated', and 'reported the least number of passengers' show good lexical control. There is a minor spelling slip with 'Wastington DC' in the introduction, but this does not impede communication. Less common lexical items are attempted with reasonable success, supporting clear presentation of the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

A good mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response. The writer successfully employs relative clauses (e.g., 'which covers a 394 km distance') and passive constructions (e.g., 'was formed in 1900', 'were inaugurated'). There are minor awkward phrasings, such as 'route for train' instead of 'train route', but the majority of sentences are error-free and punctuation is well controlled.

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