This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of underground railway systems in six major cities including the date opened, kilometres per route, and average passengers per year.
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IELTS Task 1: Underground Railway Systems

The table displays the date opened, number of kilometers and passengers each year in millions for subway systems in various cities. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the earlier underground railways tend to be longer and now serve more passengers per year relative to the more recent ones. Tokyo stands out for serving by far the most passengers and London for being both the oldest and largest.
London opened first (1863) and is nearly twice as expansive (394 kilometers) as the second largest subway, in Paris, which opened in 1900 and is 199 kilometers long. However, Paris now has more passengers compared to London (1,191,000,000 to 775,000,000). Tokyo was the next oldest having been constructed in 1927 with routes measuring a total of 155 kilometers and being made use of by 1,928,000,000 passengers annually.
The more modern subways are Washington D.C. (1976), Kyoto (1981), and Los Angeles (2001). Washington is the largest of the 3 at 126 kilometers with 144,000,000 yearly passengers. Kyoto is by far the smallest (11 kilometers) and serves relatively few individuals (45 million). Similarly, the Los Angeles subway is 18 kilometers in cumulative length and only 50,000,000 people travel on it each year.
Analysis
1. The table displays the date opened, number of kilometers and passengers each year in millions for subway systems in various cities. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the earlier underground railways tend to be longer and now serve more passengers per year relative to the more recent ones. 3. Tokyo stands out for serving by far the most passengers and London for being both the oldest and largest.
- Paraphrase what the bar chart shows.
- Write a clear overview summarising the differences.
- This one is a little complex so it needs a second sentence for the overview.
1. London opened first (1863) and is nearly twice as expansive (394 kilometers) as the second largest subway, in Paris, which opened in 1900 and is 199 kilometers long. 2. However, Paris now has more passengers compared to London (1,191,000,000 to 775,000,000). 3. Tokyo was the next oldest having been constructed in 1927 with routes measuring a total of 155 kilometers and being made use of by 1,928,000,000 passengers annually.
- Begin writing about the data for the first categories.
- Make sure you compare as much as possible.
- There is a lot of data so this essay is a little longer than normal.
1. The more modern subways are Washington D.C. (1976), Kyoto (1981), and Los Angeles (2001). 2. Washington is the largest of the 3 at 126 kilometers with 144,000,000 yearly passengers. 3. Kyoto is by far the smallest (11 kilometers) and serves relatively few individuals (45 million). 4. Similarly, the Los Angeles subway is 18 kilometers in cumulative length and only 50,000,000 people travel on it each year.
- Write about the final other parts of the graph – include everything!
- Compare the categories.
- This table has lots of data so your writing might be a little long.
- Finish with the rest of the data.
Vocabulary
The table displays the date opened, number of kilometers and passengers each year in millions for subway systems in various cities. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the earlier underground railways tend to be longer and now serve more passengers per year relative to the more recent ones. Tokyo stands out for serving by far the most passengers and London for being both the oldest and largest.
London opened first (1863) and is nearly twice as expansive (394 kilometers) as the second largest subway, in Paris, which opened in 1900 and is 199 kilometers long. However, Paris now has more passengers compared to London (1,191,000,000 to 775,000,000). Tokyo was the next oldest having been constructed in 1927 with routes measuring a total of 155 kilometers and being made use of by 1,928,000,000 passengers annually.
The more modern subways are Washington D.C. (1976), Kyoto (1981), and Los Angeles (2001). Washington is the largest of the 3 at 126 kilometers with 144,000,000 yearly passengers. Kyoto is by far the smallest (11 kilometers) and serves relatively few individuals (45 million). Similarly, the Los Angeles subway is 18 kilometers in cumulative length and only 50,000,000 people travel on it each year.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
displays shows
kilometers .62 miles
passengers people riding on them
subway systems underground railway systems
various different
Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall
tend to be are usually
relative to compared to
stands out for is noticeable because of
nearly twice as expansive almost double the size of
second largest next biggest
compared to in contrast to
next oldest almost as old
constructed built
measuring a total of the total length of
being made use of by used by
annually each year
more modern subways more recent undergrounds
the largest of the 3 the biggest of all
by far much more
relatively in comparison
Similarly not so different
cumulative in total
each year every year
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
dɪsˈpleɪz
ˈkɪləʊˌmiːtəz
ˈpæsɪnʤəz
ˈsʌbweɪ ˈsɪstɪmz
ˈveərɪəs
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt
tɛnd tuː biː
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː
stændz aʊt fɔː
ˈnɪəli twaɪs æz ɪksˈpænsɪv
ˈsɛkənd ˈlɑːʤɪst
kəmˈpeəd tuː
nɛkst ˈəʊldɪst
kənˈstrʌktɪd
ˈmɛʒərɪŋ ə ˈtəʊtl ɒv
ˈbiːɪŋ meɪd juːz ɒv baɪ
ˈænjʊəli
mɔː ˈmɒdən ˈsʌbweɪz
ðə ˈlɑːʤɪst ɒv ðiː 3
baɪ fɑː
ˈrɛlətɪvli
ˈsɪmɪləli
ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv
iːʧ jɪə
Vocabulary Practice
The table d_______s the date opened, number of k__________s and p____________s each year in millions for s___________________s in v_______s cities. L______________________________________________t the earlier underground railways t__________e longer and now serve more passengers per year r__________o the more recent ones. Tokyo s_____________r serving by far the most passengers and London for being both the oldest and largest.
London opened first (1863) and is n__________________e (394 kilometers) as the s______________t subway, in Paris, which opened in 1900 and is 199 kilometers long. However, Paris now has more passengers c_________o London (1,191,000,000 to 775,000,000). Tokyo was the n__________t having been c___________d in 1927 with routes m_______________________f 155 kilometers and b_______________________y 1,928,000,000 passengers a________y.
The m______________________s are Washington D.C. (1976), Kyoto (1981), and Los Angeles (2001). Washington is t________________________3 at 126 kilometers with 144,000,000 yearly passengers. Kyoto is b_____r the smallest (11 kilometers) and serves r_________y few individuals (45 million). S________y, the Los Angeles subway is 18 kilometers in c____________e length and only 50,000,000 people travel on it e________r.
Listening Practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdZd5zYTKAw
Reading Practice
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/world-best-metro-systems/index.html
Speaking Practice
Cities
- Have you ever lived in a city?
- What do you enjoy most about living in the city?
- Which city would you like to live in in the future?
- Do most people in your country live in cities?
Writing Practice

in the eleventh line, there is an informational mistake (the LA subway is 28km, not 18km)