Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The table compares six city underground railway networks based on their opening dates, total track lengths, and annual passenger volumes.

Overall, there is no direct correlation between the age of a railway system and its annual ridership, though older networks generally feature significantly larger route capacities. Additionally, Asian transit networks handle far higher volumes of passengers despite being newer and shorter than their European counterparts.

In terms of age and size, London boasts the oldest and most extensive network, having opened in 1863 and stretching across 394 kilometers. Paris established its metro system next in 1900, covering roughly half the distance of London at 199 kilometers. Among the newer networks, Washington DC operates a 126-kilometer system opened in 1976. Meanwhile, the transit systems in Tokyo (1927), Los Angeles (2001), and Kyoto (1981) are much smaller, covering 155, 28, and a mere 11 kilometers, respectively.

Despite having shorter routes, Asian systems see the highest passenger density. Tokyo accommodates a staggering 1,927 million riders annually—the highest in the data set—followed by Paris with 1,191 million passengers. In stark contrast, London serves considerably fewer commuters at 775 million per year. The remaining three systems handle much lighter traffic: Washington DC records 144 million yearly passengers, while Los Angeles and Kyoto register the lowest totals at 50 million and 45 million riders, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

The student provides a fully developed, accurate, and comprehensive overview of the table data. The response effectively covers all six cities across the three provided metrics (opening dates, track lengths, and annual passenger volumes). In the introduction, the writer paraphrases the prompt successfully. The overview highlights key general trends, such as the relationship between age and route length versus passenger volume, which directly addresses the requirement to summarize main features and make comparisons. The selection of data points is precise, including specific figures for London (394 km, 1863), Tokyo (1927 million passengers), and Kyoto (11 km), ensuring that comparisons between European and Asian networks are well supported. The response successfully meets all demands of Academic Task 1 without any notable omissions or inaccuracies.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The response demonstrates a clear and logical overall progression. Information is naturally sequenced, starting with an introductory statement, followed by a strong overview paragraph, then detailed breakdowns categorized by age and size, and finally passenger volume comparisons. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct analytical theme. Cohesive devices are handled flexibly and appropriately, as seen with transition phrases like 'Additionally', 'In terms of age and size', and 'In stark contrast'. Reference words are managed smoothly, maintaining clear links between sentences and ideas throughout the entire essay without any mechanical or awkward phrasing.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The writer employs a wide, flexible, and natural range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task report. Less common lexical items are used skillfully and with good awareness of collocation and style, such as 'direct correlation', 'ridership', 'route capacities', 'staggering', and 'passenger density'. Word choices are precise, as demonstrated by phrases like 'stretching across 394 kilometers' and 'in stark contrast'. There are no spelling or word-choice errors, and the vocabulary seamlessly facilitates clear communication while maintaining a formal, objective tone throughout the analysis.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The writer successfully integrates participial phrases ('having opened in 1863 and stretching across 394 kilometers') and subordinate clauses ('Despite having shorter routes, Asian systems see the highest passenger density'). The majority of sentences are completely error-free, showcasing excellent control of grammar, tense consistency, and punctuation. The occasional complex structures used are executed smoothly without causing any ambiguity or strain for the reader.

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