Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-07-30

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 7.5)

The table illustrates 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.

Overall, the fifth company was the best in staff numbers, staff turnover and under 35 while the third was the best in staff in high income bracket. On the other hand, some companies had a significant difference in male and female ratio.

According to staff numbers, the 5th company was the best with190 while the 1st one was the lowest with 56. Similarly, the 5th company accounted for 33% of staff turnover while the 1st recorded 5%. According to staff in high income bracket, the 3rd company recorded 74% making it the best company while the 5th company recorded as low as 2%.

The fifth company employed 93% of people aged 35 years and below while the 4th company had 5% making it the only company with more staff aged 55 and above. Although the 3rd company employed more males than females in the ratio 74:26 while the 4th company male to female ratio was 13:87, the 5th company had a moderate ratio of 51:49.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response covers all key features of the data, including staff numbers, turnover, income brackets, age demographics, and gender ratios. You have successfully identified the main trends and made relevant comparisons between the companies. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that you avoid minor inaccuracies in data interpretation; for example, you stated the 5th company was the 'best' in staff turnover, but in a business context, a high turnover rate is typically considered a negative attribute rather than a positive one. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information thematically. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Similarly', and 'Although' to link your points. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between sentences is smoother. At times, the connection between the data points feels slightly mechanical. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the information is presented in a coherent manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accounted for', 'demographics', and 'ratio' appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as using 'best' to describe a high staff turnover rate, which is contextually confusing. While you successfully convey the meaning, the vocabulary is generally functional rather than sophisticated. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to data reporting, such as 'a significant proportion' or 'a notable disparity', to enhance the academic tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. There are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'the 5th company recorded as low as 2%' (which should be 'recorded a figure as low as 2%') and minor punctuation issues. You show good control over basic structures, but to achieve a higher band, you should aim for more varied complex sentence forms and ensure that subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are consistently accurate throughout the text.

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