Scorify.uzThe question
The table 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. Write at least 150 words.
| City | Date opened | Length (km) | Passengers per year (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| City A | 1863 | 394 | 1180 |
| City B | 1900 | 214 | 1500 |
| City C | 1935 | 303 | 2500 |
| City D | 1969 | 199 | 1000 |
| City E | 1976 | 56 | 25 |
| City F | 1995 | 68 | 120 |
What to notice before you write
A table needs selection, not a list of every figure. Identify the extremes: City A is the oldest and longest, City C has the most passengers and City E the fewest. Notice that longer systems do not always carry more passengers: City B has fewer kilometres than City A but more passengers.
Band 7 sample report
The table provides data on the underground railway systems of six cities, including when they opened, how long they are and how many passengers they carry each year.
Overall, the oldest systems tend to be the longest, but the number of passengers does not depend only on length. City C carries by far the most passengers, while City E has the smallest system.
City A has the oldest network, which opened in 1863, and also the longest at 394 kilometres. However, it carries 1,180 million passengers a year, which is less than City B, whose 214-kilometre system carries 1,500 million, and much less than City C, with 2,500 million.
The newest systems are in City E and City F, which opened in 1976 and 1995 respectively. They are also the smallest, at 56 and 68 kilometres, and they handle only 25 million and 120 million passengers a year.
Finally, there is no simple link between age and passenger numbers, since City D, which opened in 1969, carries 1,000 million passengers a year, far more than the much newer systems in City E and City F.
185 words.
Useful language for this chart type
- the oldest / the newest — superlatives for dates
- by far the most — much more than all the others
- carry passengers — transport people
- tend to — show a general pattern
- depend on — be influenced by
- handle — deal with a number of people
- respectively — in the same order as mentioned
Common mistakes
- Copying all 24 numbers.
- Missing the extremes (oldest, longest, busiest).
- Forgetting units (km, millions).
Study guides
Computer-Delivered IELTS: What Changes and What Stays the Same
Thinking about taking IELTS on a computer? Here is what stays the same, what feels different in Writing, Reading and Listening, and how to prepare for the screen.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Vocabulary for Graphs, Charts and Processes
Useful verbs, nouns, adverbs and sentence patterns for describing line graphs, bar charts, tables and processes in IELTS Task 1, with more than twelve example sentences.
Linking Words for IELTS and How to Use Them Correctly
A practical list of IELTS linking words grouped by function, with correct and incorrect examples, punctuation rules and a warning about overusing connectors.
Frequently asked questions
How many words should an IELTS Task 1 report be?
Write at least 150 words. Strong reports are usually 160–190 words and take about 20 minutes, leaving a minute or two to check.
What is an overview in Task 1?
The overview is a short paragraph, written without detailed numbers, that states the main trends or the most important features of the data. Reports without a clear overview are limited to a lower band.
Should I give my opinion in Task 1?
No. Describe and compare only what the data shows. Do not explain reasons or add information that is not in the chart.