Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-02

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 7.0)

The table provides information about underground railway systems in six cities, including their opening dates, route lengths, and annual passenger numbers.

Considering from an overall perspective, it can be observed that london has the oldest and longest system, while Tokyo records the highest passenger usage. In contrast, Kyoto has the smallest network and the lowest ridership.

London’s underground, opened in 1863, covers 394 kilometers and serves 775 million passengers yearly. Paris, which began in 1900, has a shorter route of 199 kilometers but a higher passenger figure of 1,191 million. Tokyo, opened in 1927, is smaller in size at 155 kilometers, yet it carries the largest number of passengers, nearly 1,927 million annually.

Among the newer systems, Washington DC (1976) and Los Angeles (2001) have relatively short routes of 126 and 28 kilometers, with passenger numbers of 144 million and 50 million respectively. Kyoto, opened in 1981, is the smallest system with only 11 kilometers of track and 45 million passengers per year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview of the underground railway systems and reporting the main features with relevant comparisons. You clearly highlight key extremes, such as London having the oldest and longest system, Tokyo recording the highest passenger usage, and Kyoto having the smallest network and lowest ridership. Data is accurately reported throughout the body paragraphs, noting specific dates, route lengths, and passenger numbers. The response maintains a clear overview and effectively selects salient details without getting bogged down in unnecessary minutiae. To move toward the highest band, you could further extend comparisons between the older European and Asian systems and the newer American ones, perhaps by calculating density or grouping the cities with even greater analytical depth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

Your writing demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by grouped body paragraphs detailing the older and newer systems. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct and logical function in structuring the data. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Among the newer systems', and 'yet it carries' are used flexibly to connect ideas smoothly. To reach an even higher band, you could ensure that referencing and transitional phrases are entirely unobtrusive and vary your cohesive patterns slightly to avoid mechanical transitions, thereby enhancing the overall flow of the comparative analysis.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, allowing you to discuss statistical data effectively. Less common items such as 'ridership', 'network', and 'annual passenger numbers' are integrated appropriately. Word choices such as 'covers 394 kilometers' and 'serves 775 million passengers' show good awareness of style and collocation pertinent to task 1 writing. However, minor slips occur, such as the lowercase 'london' in the second paragraph, and a few phrases lean towards straightforward reporting rather than more sophisticated lexical variation. To achieve a higher band, incorporate a wider variety of precise synonyms for measuring, increasing, and contrasting data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

Your response features a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentence forms, producing frequent error-free sentences. You demonstrate solid control of grammar and punctuation, successfully handling relative clauses and participial modifiers, such as 'Paris, which began in 1900, has a shorter route'. However, a minor lapse in punctuation and capitalization occurs in the second paragraph with 'london'. The control of verb tenses, agreements, and prepositions is generally secure throughout the text. To attain top bands, ensure complete mechanical accuracy across all proper nouns and strive for an even wider range of sophisticated syntactic structures without any minor slips.

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