Academic Task 1 model answer: Metro systems in four cities
The question
The table below gives information about the metro systems in four cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
| City | Year opened | Network length (km) | Stations | Daily passengers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City A | 1890 | 400 | 270 | 3.2 |
| City B | 1935 | 330 | 210 | 6.8 |
| City C | 1984 | 120 | 95 | 2.1 |
| City D | 2009 | 85 | 60 | 0.9 |
Model answer
The table compares the metro systems of four cities in terms of when they opened, the length of their networks, the number of stations and the average number of passengers they carry each day.
Overall, the older systems are considerably larger and busier than the newer ones. However, network size does not entirely determine usage, as City B carries by far the most passengers despite having a shorter network than City A.
City A's metro, which opened in 1890, is the oldest and longest of the four, covering 400 kilometres and serving 270 stations. City B's system, launched in 1935, is somewhat smaller, at 330 kilometres with 210 stations, yet it carries 6.8 million passengers a day, more than twice the figure for City A (3.2 million).
The two newer networks are on a much smaller scale. City C's metro, opened in 1984, runs for 120 kilometres with 95 stations and serves 2.1 million passengers daily, a relatively high figure for its size. The most recent system, in City D, dates from 2009 and is the smallest in every respect, with 85 kilometres of track, 60 stations and fewer than one million daily users.
Why it works
Task Achievement
The overview makes two points — the age–size pattern and the exception to it — instead of listing figures. Every city is covered with its key data.
Coherence & Cohesion
Cities are grouped as 'older' and 'newer' systems, which mirrors the overview and allows direct comparison within each paragraph.
Lexical Resource
Varied ways of describing size and use — 'on a much smaller scale', 'serves', 'dates from', 'the smallest in every respect'.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Present tenses for current figures alongside the past simple for opening dates, reduced relative clauses ('launched in 1935') and a concessive 'despite' + -ing.
Written by Stride as a study model against the public IELTS band descriptors. It has not been marked by an IELTS examiner.