The table below shows the number of kilometres passengers travelled on five types of transport in a European country in 1995, 2005 and 2015.
Sample Response
The supplied table data presents information on the distance travelled by passengers in a European country in different modes of transportations from 1995 to 2015. As is given in the illustration, buses and rails were the most preferred transportation types but the air travel gained popularity in recent years. According to the given data, the least number of distance was travelled using bicycles and motorbikes by passengers in this European country. Commuters in this country travelled only 2 billion km. using bicycles in 1995 and it was the same in 2015. Similarly, only 5 billion km were travelled using motorbikes which reached 6 billion after 20 years. Interestingly, the air travels gained huge popularity in later years as 20 billion km distance was passed using aeroplanes in 2015 while this was merely 2 billion km 20 years earlier. Buses and trains were the most preferred transportation types as the highest distance was travelled by the passengers in these two modes of transportation. However, there was an increase in the distance travelled by trains (38 and 60 billion km in 2005 and 2015) while it decreased in the case of the bus (56 and 42 billion km in 2005 and 2015 respectively). The total distance travelled by passengers increased to 130 billion km. in 2015 in this country from 103 billion km. in 1995.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove redundant noun Original: table data presents Suggested revision: table presents Why it matters: The noun 'data' is unnecessary because the table itself presents the information.
- 2. Use transport correctly Original: different modes of transportations Suggested revision: five modes of transport Why it matters: 'Transport' is normally uncountable here, and 'five' states the table's scope precisely.
- 3. Name all table years Original: from 1995 to 2015 Suggested revision: in 1995, 2005 and 2015 Why it matters: The table reports three discrete years rather than continuous annual data.
- 4. Correct quantity phrase Original: the least number of distance was travelled Suggested revision: the shortest distances were travelled Why it matters: Distance is described as long or short, and the plural subject requires 'were.'
- 5. Use natural mode phrase Original: using bicycles and motorbikes by passengers in this European country Suggested revision: by bicycle and motorbike Why it matters: The shorter 'by' construction expresses modes of travel naturally and avoids an awkward passive ending.
- 6. Match chart population Original: Commuters Suggested revision: Passengers Why it matters: The table concerns all passengers and does not identify them specifically as commuters.
- 7. Use by for mode Original: 2 billion km. using bicycles Suggested revision: 2 billion km by bicycle Why it matters: The standard construction is 'travel a distance by' a particular mode.
- 8. Fix relative reference Original: 5 billion km were travelled using motorbikes which reached Suggested revision: passengers travelled 5 billion km by motorbike, and this figure reached Why it matters: The original relative clause incorrectly makes 'motorbikes' the thing that reached six billion kilometres.
- 9. Use uncountable travel Original: travels Suggested revision: travel Why it matters: 'Travel' is uncountable when referring generally to this mode.
- 10. Describe measured change Original: gained huge popularity Suggested revision: increased substantially Why it matters: The table measures distance travelled, so a claim about popularity is unsupported.
- 11. Clarify time span Original: in later years Suggested revision: over the period Why it matters: The increase described compares the first and final recorded years.
- 12. Use active travel phrase Original: 20 billion km distance was passed using aeroplanes Suggested revision: passengers travelled 20 billion km by air Why it matters: Passengers travel distances; a distance is not normally 'passed' using a vehicle.
Suggested Rewrites
- table data presents table presents
- different modes of transportations five modes of transport
- from 1995 to 2015 in 1995, 2005 and 2015
- the least number of distance was travelled the shortest distances were travelled
- using bicycles and motorbikes by passengers in this European country by bicycle and motorbike
- Commuters Passengers
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response selects most transport categories and gives a clear broad trend, with the sharp rise in air travel especially well identified. Its main weakness is data accuracy: bus and rail figures are assigned to the wrong years, alongside several awkward transport collocations. The priority is to verify every value against its row and year before writing comparisons.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report covers all five modes, provides a relevant overview, and accurately highlights air growth and the overall total, but several bus and rail figures are linked to incorrect years.
Check each row across all three columns and report the bus and rail sequences accurately before selecting supporting comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses from an overview to individual modes and totals, but the single dense paragraph and repeated phrasing make the organisation somewhat mechanical.
Separate the overview from two grouped detail paragraphs, such as lower-use modes and the dominant bus-and-rail trends.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficient for trends and comparisons, though recurrent collocation problems such as ‘number of distance’ and ‘air travels’ reduce precision.
Use standard data-reporting combinations such as ‘distance travelled’, ‘air travel’, and ‘modes of transport’.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex structures communicates the main message, but article, agreement, noun-form, and clause-control errors recur throughout.
Review plural and uncountable transport nouns, then simplify long clauses so subjects and numerical references remain clear.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table below shows the number of kilometres passengers travelled on five types of transport in a European country in 1995, 2005 and 2015.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.