Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-07

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 5.0)

The table illustrates a survey of a national newspaper to find out which companies are the best to work for by staff in Britain.

Overall, it can be seen that the highest number of staff work in fifth company. While, the largest proportion of under 35s works more compares with over 55s. In addition, second company pay highest salary to staff. However, the lowest staff turnover by first company compares with other company.

To begin with, the 5th company had 190 staff, which was higher than other companies. Moreover, female was higher than male in 1st, 2nd and 4th company. However, age of 35 and under 35 staff more than over 55 ages staff.

Whereas, 1st had the lowest staff turnover compared with other companies. While, staff of high-income bracket the highest paid salary by 3rd company, which was 74% and the lowest tow were 4th and 5th companies, which were 5% and 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response identifies some key features, such as staff numbers and turnover, but the reporting is inconsistent and lacks clarity. The overview is somewhat confusing, and the data selection is not always accurate; for instance, the claim that the 'second company' pays the highest salary is not clearly supported by the data provided. Comparisons are attempted but often lack precision, such as the vague reference to 'other companies' without specifying which ones. To improve, ensure that all data points are accurately transcribed and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than listing isolated, sometimes inaccurate, facts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or incorrect, such as the repetitive use of 'While' and 'However' at the start of sentences where they do not logically connect the preceding information. Referencing is also unclear; for example, 'the lowest tow were 4th and 5th companies' is confusing due to poor phrasing and lack of clear antecedents. The progression of ideas is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of the five companies effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'staff', 'company', and 'higher'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and incorrect collocations, such as 'works more compares with' and 'lowest tow' (likely a typo for 'two'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate precision when describing data trends. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied terminology related to data reporting, such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'fluctuate', or 'surpass', and ensure correct word forms are used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('female was higher than male'), article usage ('the 5th company', 'the 1st'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack necessary components, such as 'age of 35 and under 35 staff more than over 55 ages staff'. The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with errors. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the clarity of your writing.

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