Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-29

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 8.0)

Overall, it is noticeable that a smaller workforce and lower staff turnover generally aligned with a higher ranking in the survey. Additionally, these top workplaces predominantly employ younger people and have a higher proportion of female staff.

Looking at company size and retention, the first-ranked company has the smallest workforce (56 employees) and the lowest staff turnover (5%). Conversely, the fifth-placed company employs by far the most staff (190) and experiences the highest turnover at 33%. When it comes to high earners, the third-ranked company stands out significantly with 74% of its staff in the high-income bracket, compared to 34% in the first company and a mere 2% in the fifth.

Regarding demographics, younger employees dominate these top companies. Over 75% of the staff in the first, third, and fifth companies are under 35. The fourth company is the only exception, with just 26% under 35 and the highest proportion of over-55s (8%). In terms of gender, women make up the majority in three of the five establishments, peaking at 87% in the fourth company and 70% in the first. The third company is the only one with a heavily male-dominated workforce (74%).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student produces a well-structured and fully developed response that successfully covers all key features of the table. In the introductory overview, the writer correctly identifies the main overarching trends, noting that smaller workforces and lower staff turnover generally align with higher rankings, alongside younger demographics and high female proportions. Specific data points are carefully selected and accurately reported throughout the body paragraphs, such as the 190 staff and 33% turnover for the fifth company, and the 74% high-income bracket for the third company. Comparisons between companies are made effectively and accurately without significant omissions or misinterpretations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The response is logically organised and flows smoothly from an introductory overview into clearly demarcated body paragraphs addressing company size, retention, and demographics. Cohesive devices are used naturally and appropriately without mechanical over-use. For instance, the transition "Conversely, the fifth-placed company employs by far the most staff" links contrasting ideas effectively. Paragraphing is skilfully managed, grouping related information together logically, which ensures a clear progression of ideas from start to finish.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible lexical resource suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary choices are precise and natural, incorporating less common items and functional collocations such as "smaller workforce," "staff turnover," "predominantly employ," and "heavily male-dominated workforce." Word choice is accurate throughout, with no noticeable errors in spelling or collocation, allowing the reader to follow the complex data comparisons with ease.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The writing exhibits a wide range of complex structures used with a high degree of accuracy. Sentences such as "When it comes to high earners, the third-ranked company stands out significantly with 74% of its staff in the high-income bracket, compared to 34% in the first company and a mere 2% in the fifth" demonstrate excellent syntactic variety and control. The vast majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled impeccably, reflecting a very high standard of grammatical command.

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