Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-16

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 table compares five small companies in Britain that were ranked highest in a national newspaper’s survey of the best companies to work for. The information covers staff numbers, gender distribution, age groups, staff turnover and the proportion of employees in the high-income bracket.

Overall, the five companies differ considerably in terms of their workforce size and employee characteristics. The fifth-ranked company has by far the largest workforce, while the first-ranked company has the smallest. The third company has the highest proportion of high-income employees, whereas the fifth has the lowest staff turnover.

In terms of staff numbers, the fifth company employs 190 people, considerably more than the other four companies, which have between 56 and 79 employees. The second company has 79 staff, followed by the fourth and third companies with 76 and 72 respectively. The first company has the fewest employees, at 56.

There are also notable differences in gender distribution. Women account for 70% of employees in the first company and 53% in the second, while the fourth has an even higher female proportion of 87%. In contrast, men make up the majority of employees in the third company, at 74%, and slightly more than half in the fifth company, at 51%.

Regarding age, most employees in all five companies are under 35. This figure is highest in the fifth company, at 93%, followed by the third and first companies, at 82% and 77% respectively. The fourth company has the lowest proportion of younger workers, at 26%. Employees aged over 55 account for only 0–8% of the workforce.

Finally, staff turnover ranges from 3% in the fifth company to 18% in the second. The proportion of high-income employees is highest in the third company, at 74%, followed by the second and first companies, at 48% and 34%. By comparison, only 5% of employees in the fourth company and 2% in the fifth are in the high-income bracket.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a thorough summary of the data presented in the table. The response accurately selects and reports the main features, such as staff numbers, gender distribution, age groups, staff turnover, and high-income bracket proportions. Clear comparisons are made where relevant, for instance, noting that the fifth-ranked company has the largest workforce (190) while the first-ranked has the smallest (56). The overview paragraph effectively highlights the major differences among the companies. All reported figures and data points align correctly with the provided source table, demonstrating a strong understanding of the visual information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paragraph containing a strong overview, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that deal with specific categories of data, such as staff numbers, gender distribution, age, and turnover. Cohesive devices are used appropriately and flexibly to guide the reader through the comparisons, for example, using phrases like 'In terms of staff numbers', 'There are also notable differences', and 'Regarding age'. Paragraphing is logical and fully appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary suited to describing statistical and tabular data. Less common lexical items and phrases such as 'proportion of employees', 'gender distribution', 'workforce size', and 'high-income bracket' are used accurately and with good control. Word choices and collocations are generally natural, and there are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. The lexical range allows for precise reporting of percentages and rankings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, successfully blending simple and complex sentences. Complex structures are handled with good control, seen in sentences such as 'The fifth-ranked company has by far the largest workforce, while the first-ranked company has the smallest.' The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is managed correctly throughout. Minor slips are virtually absent, and the grammatical accuracy supports fluent and clear communication of the data.

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