Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-26

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 7.0)

The table gives information about the five small companies in Britain that came top in a staff survey conducted by a national newspaper.

Overall, the fifth-ranked company has the largest number of staff and the highest staff turnover, while the first-ranked company has the lowest number of staff and the lowest staff turnover. The third-ranked company has the highest proportion of staff in the high-income bracket, while the fifth-ranked company has the lowest.

The number of staff ranges from 56 to 190. The fifth-ranked company has the largest workforce, with 190 employees. The second-ranked company has 79 staff, followed by the fourth-ranked company with 76 and the third-ranked company with 72. The first-ranked company has the smallest number of employees, at only 56.

In terms of staff turnover, the fifth-ranked company has the highest figure, at 14%, while the third-ranked company has the lowest, at 2%. The other companies have turnover rates of 5%, 7% and 9% respectively.

There are also clear differences in the age and income groups. The third-ranked company has the highest proportion of staff under 35, at 82%, while the fourth-ranked company has the lowest, at 26%. For staff in the high-income bracket, the third-ranked company has the highest figure, at 74%, whereas the fifth-ranked company has the lowest, at just 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying and reporting the main features of the data. You have successfully selected key information, such as the range of staff numbers and the extremes in turnover and income brackets. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully developed; for instance, while you mention the turnover rates of the other companies, grouping them more analytically rather than just listing them would strengthen the comparison. Overall, the response is accurate and covers all parts of the prompt well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organised, with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and separate paragraphs for different data categories. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'while', and 'whereas' effectively to link information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct aspects of the data. The flow is natural, and the information is easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Terms like 'workforce', 'proportion', 'high-income bracket', and 'turnover' are used accurately in context. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'highest' and 'lowest' would help elevate the lexical range further toward the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writing displays a good command of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'The fifth-ranked company has the largest workforce, with 190 employees.' Punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, showing good control over tense and subject-verb agreement. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with more varied complex structures, such as participial phrases or passive constructions, to enhance the sophistication of your writing.

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