Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table below gives information about the five small companies in Britain that came top in a survey of staff conducted by a national newspaper to find out which companies are the best to work for.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

THE FIVE BEST SMALL COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

Student answer (Band 4.0)

The table illustrate the information collected by a national newpaper of five best companies to work for in United Kingdom.

Overall, when we talk about high income companies for staff number as we can see the 3rd one pay high income to staff with average staff number, staff turnover and by gender, ages.

Firstly,table show that 2nd and 3rd companies are best for working in graet britain they are strong and beneficial in all terms.

Secondly, 5th number company

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response makes a limited attempt to describe the table, but it does not report the main features or provide accurate, specific comparisons. The claim that the third company pays the highest incomes is supported by the table (74%), but the phrase “average staff number, staff turnover and by gender, ages” does not explain those figures. The statement that the second and third companies are “best” is also unclear, since the table ranks them second and third and gives no overall measure of being “beneficial.” The final point about the fifth company is unfinished. The response is also well below the required 150 words. To improve, give a clear overview and compare key figures, such as the fifth company’s largest workforce and highest turnover against the first company’s lowest turnover.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response with an opening, an overview, and the sequence markers “Firstly” and “Secondly.” However, the ideas do not develop in a clear progression: the overview is difficult to interpret, the first body point repeats a general judgement rather than presenting data, and “Secondly, 5th number company” is left incomplete. The paragraphing does not help the reader follow comparisons across the table, and the link between “high income” and the other listed features is unclear. Build a simple structure: introduce what the table shows, summarise the main contrasts, then group relevant comparisons into complete paragraphs. Use linking words only when they connect fully expressed points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “staff,” “high income,” “gender,” and “turnover,” so the subject is identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear, such as “pay high income to staff,” “strong and beneficial in all terms,” and “average staff number.” There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “newpaper” and “graet.” Use precise terms from the table and avoid unsupported evaluative language. For example, describe a company as having the “highest proportion of high-income staff” rather than saying it “pay[s] high income,” and refer to “staff numbers” or “turnover rates” when reporting those categories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple statements and a longer sentence beginning “when we talk about high income companies,” but control is inconsistent and the longer construction is difficult to follow. There are errors in agreement and sentence formation: “The table illustrate” needs a singular verb, while “Firstly,table show” lacks an article and has incorrect agreement. The sentence about the third company also combines several ideas without a clear grammatical structure. Punctuation is uneven, including missing spaces after commas, and the final fragment “Secondly, 5th number company” is not a complete sentence. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add comparisons using clear clauses, for example, “The third-ranked company has the highest share of high-income staff, at 74%.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.