Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-24
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)
The given table provides the results based on five criterias on which five small companies in Britain are categorized. This survey was conducted by a British newspaper.
Overall, it can be seen that the lower the number of staff turnover, the higher the company's ranking. However, the age factor does not affect the position of the organization in a list.
To begin with, as you move from top to bottom in a list, you will realize that the number of employees working in a small business had increased. There were 56 workers in the first company which is followed by 79 and eventually reached 190 members in the fifth company. By contrast, gender did not play any mojor role in the ranking i.e first company accounted for 30% males and 70% females and top 6th business hub employed 51% men and 49% women.
While further analyzing the data, it is shown that having younger staff does not guaranttee the better position in the list. As, 77% of the employees appointed in the top ranking company are under 35 whereas 93% of the staff in the top 5th company are less than 35 years old.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the table, including staff numbers, gender distribution, and age demographics. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the statement that 'the lower the number of staff turnover, the higher the company's ranking' is not supported by the data provided in the image, which does not list turnover rates. Additionally, the comparison regarding gender is slightly confusing, as the text mentions a 'top 6th business hub' when the task only lists five companies. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in referencing the data points and the inclusion of inaccurate information limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'By contrast', and 'While further analyzing' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'as you move from top to bottom in a list'. The referencing is generally clear, though the mention of a '6th business hub' disrupts the logical flow of the comparison. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the structure is coherent.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'categorized', 'demographics', and 'accounted for'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'criterias' (the plural of criterion is criteria), 'mojor' (major), and 'guaranttee' (guarantee). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. The student relies on fairly basic descriptors, and the errors in spelling and word formation are noticeable, though they do not impede overall communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the results based on five criterias on which five small companies... are categorized' (awkward phrasing) and 'the number of employees... had increased' (incorrect tense usage). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with sentence construction, such as the fragment 'As, 77% of the employees...'. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of errors in tense, pluralization, and sentence structure prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
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