Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

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

Overall the ratings in the survey are based on the number of staff, male to female ratio, employees age under 35 or over 55, staff turnover and staff in high income bracket.

The company which came first had 56 employees, and 34% are in high income bracket, of which majority of employees are females, company who came least in ranking has 190 employees and only 2% of them are in high income bracket, half of employees working here are females around 49% and majority of workers are under the age of 35 years.

Highest staff turnover between these companies is the least likeable company in the survey standing at 33% staff turnover compared to lowest staff turnover company which is at first position, 5% only, this is quite the reason why the company was least likeable in the staff survey, lowest percentage of high income staff highest number of employees and staff turnover.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the table, such as staff numbers, income brackets, and turnover. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the top and bottom companies, the comparison is hindered by a lack of clear structure and some inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, stating 'majority of employees are females' for the first company is vague when specific percentages are available. To reach a higher band, ensure you select the most significant data points and present them with greater precision, ensuring all comparisons are explicitly linked to the provided figures rather than general observations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay lacks a clear paragraph structure, which makes the progression of ideas feel disjointed. The introduction is a single sentence, and the body paragraphs are not clearly separated, leading to a 'run-on' feel. While you use some cohesive devices like 'compared to' and 'overall', the flow is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and a lack of logical sequencing. To improve, use clear paragraph breaks to separate your overview from your detailed comparisons, and use a wider variety of linking words to guide the reader through your analysis more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'company who came least' and 'staff turnover'. There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'least likeable company', which is a subjective interpretation not strictly supported by the data provided. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and precise terminology related to data analysis, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', or 'predominant'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in high income bracket'), incorrect preposition usage, and run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. For example, the sentence 'The company which came first had 56 employees, and 34% are in high income bracket, of which majority of employees are females, company who came least in ranking has 190 employees...' is grammatically fragmented. Focusing on sentence boundaries and subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your score.

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