Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-04
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 about five small companies in Britain rising in employment by national newspaper to explore which firms are best to work for.
In the given table, five top notch companies are listed from position 1st to 5th. The survery segregates the 5 companies with employment figures, gender ratio, age of staff, and last but not least the staff with higher income deposite. The 5th comapny is progressing good in overall employment survey.
Furthermore, 5th company is being excellent in terms of staff members, male ratio, employee under age of 35 and staff turnover. Whereas the workers over 55, are on average of under 1% instead of 4th company which has highest with 8%. Subsequently, 5th company recorded with reduced higher income bracket.
Moreover, In contrast 3rd company shows the uplift of 74% in higher income. female ratio got peak in 4th company with proportion of 87 female workers. On other hand 1st company is recorded with least staff turnover almost 5%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the data but fails to provide a clear overview of the main trends. While it identifies some specific figures, the selection of data is somewhat haphazard. For instance, the report focuses heavily on the 5th company without providing a balanced comparison of all five entities. The description of the data is often vague, such as 'progressing good' or 'recorded with reduced higher income bracket', which lacks the precision required for Task 1. To improve, you should provide a clear summary paragraph highlighting the most significant differences and similarities across all companies rather than listing isolated details.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'last but not least' are inappropriate for a formal report, and 'subsequently' is used incorrectly to introduce a new point rather than a consequence. The progression of ideas is disjointed, as the transition between discussing the 5th company and the 3rd/4th companies feels abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. Examples include 'higher income deposite' (likely meaning 'bracket'), 'progressing good', and 'female ratio got peak'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the information. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'fluctuation', or 'majority'. Avoid informal phrasing and ensure that your word choices accurately reflect the statistical data presented in the table.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies on a limited range of sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect article usage ('the 5th company is being excellent'), subject-verb agreement problems, and awkward phrasing ('instead of 4th company which has highest'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the text from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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