The graph shows Underground Station passenger numbers in London.
Sample Response
The provided graph depicts the number of people who use the London Underground station from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm on a typical day. It can be seen that the usage of the station varies at different periods of the day but mostly it remains busy at 8.00 am and at 6.00 pm. At 6:00 am, the number of passengers at the station is very low with a total of 90 passengers. However, it firmly increases up 200 to 7:00 am at which point the traffic witnesses a drastic plunge reaching the busiest point of the day with 400 passengers. In a subsequent couple of hours, the rush relieves a little to reach 180 passengers at 10:00 am. The following two hours observe a humble rise which eventually reached at 280 when it, thereafter, creep to 300 from 12:00 to 14:00. From this moment, passenger arrival faces a major decline to the daily low point of less than 100 occurring at 16:00 while it plunges again to the second maximum of 380 at 18:00. For 18:00 to 20:00, traffic eases a little bit to around 130 and finally the remain hours encountering little fluctuation at 150.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name measured quantity Original: usage of the station Suggested revision: number of passengers Why it matters: The graph measures passenger numbers rather than general station usage.
- 2. Correct opening value Original: 90 Suggested revision: 100 Why it matters: The graph begins at 100 passengers at 6:00.
- 3. Use direct time link Original: In a subsequent couple of hours Suggested revision: Over the following two hours Why it matters: The revised transition links the 8:00 peak directly to the value at 10:00.
- 4. Describe sharp fall Original: rush relieves a little Suggested revision: passenger numbers fall sharply Why it matters: The figure drops from 400 at 8:00 to about 180 at 10:00, which is not a slight easing.
- 5. Use natural trend phrase Original: observe a humble rise Suggested revision: saw a moderate rise Why it matters: Humble does not naturally describe a numerical increase.
- 6. Remove extra preposition Original: reached at 280 Suggested revision: reached 280 Why it matters: Reach takes the figure directly without at.
- 7. Correct clause form Original: when it, thereafter, creep Suggested revision: before creeping Why it matters: The participial phrase creates a grammatical link to the subsequent rise.
- 8. State exact start time Original: From this moment Suggested revision: From 14:00 Why it matters: The exact time gives the decline a clear starting point.
- 9. Use measured subject Original: passenger arrival faces Suggested revision: passenger numbers undergo Why it matters: Passenger numbers, rather than arrival, are the quantity that declines.
- 10. Correct daily low Original: less than 100 Suggested revision: 100 Why it matters: The 16:00 point is exactly 100 passengers on the graph.
- 11. Attach time directly Original: occurring at 16:00 Suggested revision: at 16:00 Why it matters: The shorter phrase links the low point directly to its time.
- 12. Reverse trend direction Original: plunges again Suggested revision: rises sharply Why it matters: Passenger numbers increase from 100 at 16:00 to 380 at 18:00.
Suggested Rewrites
- usage of the station number of passengers
- 90 100
- In a subsequent couple of hours Over the following two hours
- rush relieves a little passenger numbers fall sharply
- observe a humble rise saw a moderate rise
- reached at 280 reached 280
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response identifies both rush-hour peaks and follows the daily sequence with many useful figures. Its main weakness is that inappropriate trend verbs repeatedly reverse the intended meaning, describing steep rises to 400 and 380 passengers as plunges, while several sentences are grammatically unstable. Prioritise accurate rise-and-fall vocabulary, then simplify the chronological sentences so every time, direction, and value is unambiguous.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The two main peaks, the afternoon low, and much of the daily pattern are selected, but contradictory trend descriptions and a few inaccurate figures reduce precision.
Report the movements explicitly as a surge to 400 at 8:00, a low of about 100 at 16:00, and another surge to 380 at 18:00.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a clear overview and broadly chronological progression, although long clauses and faulty links sometimes obscure the sequence.
Divide the details into morning and afternoon-evening paragraphs and give each major change its own concise sentence.
Lexical Resource
There is some range in language for movement, but frequent unsuitable collocations such as "firmly increases," "humble rise," and "plunges to the maximum" impair accuracy.
Use conventional graph verbs and adverbs, including "rose sharply," "increased gradually," "fell steeply," and "fluctuated slightly."
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are attempted, but recurring errors in tense, agreement, prepositions, and clause construction make several descriptions awkward.
Keep verbs in the past tense and revise forms such as "rose to 200," "then crept up to 300," and "the remaining hours fluctuated."
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph shows Underground Station passenger numbers in London.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.