Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-30

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)

The table provides data regarding five top-ranked small companies in Britain, evaluated based on a national newspaper's staff survey.

Overall, the workforce composition varies significantly across the five companies. Most featured companies are dominated by younger workers under under 35 and have very low proportions of staff over 55. Additionally, companies with a higher percentage of high-income staff generally experience lower turnover rates, whereas the 5th-ranked company shows both the lowest high-earner proportion and highest turnover rate.

Regarding company size and gender breakdown, the company ranked 5th has by far the largest workforce with 190 employees, compared to the remaining four, which range between 56 and 79 staff members. Gender ratios differ considerably the 4th-ranked company has a female-dominated workforce (87% female), while the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 124 words long. Furthermore, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. While the initial overview and the selection of main features are relevant, the under-length and the unfinished nature of the report significantly impact the task achievement. To improve, you must ensure you complete the analysis of all data points and provide a full, balanced summary that meets the length requirement. The current response lacks a conclusion or a full comparison of all five companies, which is essential for a complete summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response shows a logical attempt at organization, with an introduction and a clear overview paragraph. The use of cohesive devices like 'Overall' and 'Regarding' helps to structure the information. However, because the text is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence, the overall flow and progression are severely disrupted. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure that your writing is finished and that ideas are fully developed within each paragraph. The paragraphing is currently appropriate, but the lack of a concluding section or a full analysis of the data points prevents a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the task, with terms like 'workforce composition', 'proportions', and 'turnover rates' demonstrating a good grasp of the topic. There is an attempt to use precise language to describe the data. However, the range is somewhat limited due to the brevity of the response. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'companies' or 'employees' and use more sophisticated collocations to describe trends and comparisons. The current vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is generally accurate, with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'companies with a higher percentage of high-income staff generally experience lower turnover rates'. There are minor errors, such as the repetition of 'under' in 'under under 35'. While the sentences produced are mostly error-free, the limited length of the response restricts the demonstration of a wide range of complex structures. To improve, focus on ensuring consistent accuracy and incorporating a wider variety of grammatical forms, such as passive voice or more complex comparative structures, while maintaining the current level of clarity.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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