Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-08

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 7.5)

The provided table compares data on five top-ranking small companies in Britain regarding staff size, gender distribution, age demographics, staff turnover, and the proportion of high-income earners.

Overall, staff numbers vary widely across the five companies, with the fifth company employing the largest workforce by a significant margin. Additionally, companies with younger staff profiles or larger workforces tend to display distinct patterns in income distribution and turnover rates.

To begin, the 5th company recorded the highest staff count at 190, whereas the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies had much smaller teams ranging from 56 to 79 employees. Regarding gender balance, the 1st company was heavily male-dominated at 30:70 male-to-female ratio, while the 3rd company showed the inverse trend with 74% male staff. The age breakdown indicates that workers under 35 form the vast majority in most firms, peaking at 93% in the 5th company and 82% in the 3rd company. The 4th company is an exception, where 74% of employees are over 55.

Staff turnover was lowest in the 1st company at 5% and highest in the 5th company at 33%. Conversely, the proportion of staff in the high-income bracket was highest in the 3rd company at 74% and lowest in the 5th company at just 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the data provided. Your overview effectively highlights the variation in staff numbers and the relationship between demographics and company performance. You have made relevant comparisons, such as contrasting the staff turnover in the 1st and 5th companies and the high-income proportions. The data is accurately represented, and the response covers all key aspects of the table. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently provide a clear comparison for every data point mentioned, rather than just listing figures, which you have largely achieved here.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'conversely', and 'regarding' to link your points. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of data. The flow between sentences is natural, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of the comparison task. No significant issues with cohesion were noted.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, including terms like 'demographics', 'workforce', 'inverse trend', and 'proportion'. The language is precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. While the vocabulary is accurate and functional, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common lexical items related to data analysis—such as 'predominantly', 'marginal', or 'disparity'—would further enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your grammar is consistently accurate, and you have demonstrated a good variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips that might occur are not present here. You have maintained a formal tone suitable for the task. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is strong, contributing to the overall clarity and professionalism of the report.

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