Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-28
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 the five small companies in Britian that came top in a survey of staff conducted by a national newspaper to find out which companies are best to work for.
Overall, the data suggests that position under 35s/ over 55s, in 5th postion gained the highest value, while staff in high income bracket experienced the lowest proportional.
According to the data, staff numbers in 5th position had the highest number with 190, while 1st position had the lowest only with 56. Similarly, male:female ratio in 3rd position had the highest value with 74:26, while 4th postion had the lowest value with 13:87. Furthermore, under 35s/over 55s accounted the highest value with 93% / 0%, while 4th position experienced the lowest with 26% / 8%.
On the other hand, staff turnover in 2nd position represented the largest value at 48%, followed by 5th position at 2%. While staff in higher income bracket in 2nd position topped the position with 48%, whereas 2% in 5th position recorded the lowest.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by reporting several data points from the table, such as staff numbers in the 5th position and male-to-female ratios. However, the overview sentence is extremely confusing and inaccurate ('Overall, the data suggests that position under 35s/ over 55s, in 5th postion gained the highest value, while staff in high income bracket experienced the lowest proportional'). Furthermore, the body paragraphs contain significant data misinterpretations. For instance, in the final paragraph, the student claims that staff turnover in the 2nd position was 48%, whereas the table shows 18% (48% actually refers to staff in the high-income bracket for that position). These inaccuracies and lack of a coherent overall trend result in a band score of 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text is structured into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, which provides a basic framework. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by confusing sentence structures and inaccurate reporting. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inappropriately, such as 'On the other hand' in the final paragraph, which does not introduce a genuine contrast or logical shift in the data. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparisons being made between different positions and categories.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range to communicate basic information about the table, utilizing terms such as 'staff numbers', 'proportion', and 'highest value'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'experienced the lowest proportional' and 'accounted the highest value' (missing 'for'). Spelling errors also occur, such as 'Britian' instead of 'Britain' and 'postion' instead of 'position'. The misuse of vocabulary related to data reporting severely limits precision and prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but many complex sentences contain grammatical errors or awkward phrasing. Examples include missing prepositions and verbs, such as 'under 35s/over 55s accounted the highest value' and 'staff in higher income bracket in 2nd position topped the position with 48%, whereas 2% in 5th position recorded the lowest' (which results in a grammatical mismatch). While basic sentences are generally understandable, frequent grammatical slips and faulty complex structures cause some difficulty for the reader.
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