Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In the table we saw that there is great numbers of staff numbers in 5th company than all other small companies and there is a 1st company which has far more less number of staff members than any other company and after this we saw that there is high ratio of female in 4th company and in 3rd company there is high ratio of male. And at the third property we saw that the there is a high percentage of acceptance of people which are under 35 years old and after that we saw that there is a higher num of acceptance of people over 55 year old is in 4th company and staff turnover is greater in 5th company and lower in 1st company which show the strength and reliability on staff members and on the last we saw that in 3rd company there is far more income than any other company but there is a lower income bracket in 5th company. So, after reviewing all the table i suggest that if you are under 35 years old and also a female than try to go for the 2nd company if a male than try in 3rd company and if you are over 55 years than try to go in 4th for both males and females.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the table, such as staff numbers, gender ratios, age demographics, turnover, and income. However, the report lacks a clear structure and fails to present the data in a professional, objective manner. The inclusion of personal advice at the end is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which should remain neutral and analytical. While the key features are identified, the lack of an overview and the informal, subjective tone prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on grouping related data points and providing a clear summary of trends rather than listing individual company statistics.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as a single, long paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow. There is a lack of logical progression; the ideas are linked using repetitive and simplistic connectors like 'and after this' and 'and after that'. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and often redundant. Paragraphing is essential in IELTS writing to separate the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. To improve, you should organize your report into distinct paragraphs: an introduction, a clear overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs that group the data logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'high', 'low', 'number', and 'company'. There are issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'high ratio of female' (should be 'higher proportion of females') and 'higher num of acceptance' (which is unclear). The language is informal and lacks the precision required for describing statistical data. To improve, incorporate more academic vocabulary related to data analysis, such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'fluctuate', 'significant', and 'majority'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('there is great numbers'), article usage ('the 1st company'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are run-on, lacking proper punctuation, which makes the text difficult to read. There is a very limited range of complex structures, and the existing sentences are mostly simple or poorly constructed. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct use of articles, and practicing the use of complex sentences to link ideas more effectively.

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