Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-01

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 5.5)

The following table illustrates the information about a survey that was carried out to find the top five companies that are the best to work for.

There were five main components on the basis of which the survey was conducted. These were positioned as staff numbers, male/female ratio, age, staff turnover, staff in high income bracket respectively.

Staff numbers were lowest in first (59) and were highest in 5th (190). The male ratio was high in first, third and fifth, while female ratio was high in second and fourth. The under 35 ratio was high in first, third and fifth. Staff turnover ratio was lowest in first (5%) and was highest in fifth (33%).

Staff in high income bracket was more in second (48%) and third (74%).

In conclusion, the survey was based upon these five main points from which we can easily identify which is the perfect small company that we can for.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially and contains notable inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the student states that staff numbers were lowest in first with 59, whereas the table records 56. Furthermore, some data points are missed or generalized insufficiently, and the overview lacks a clear summary of the main trends. The ideas are limited and under-developed, meaning the response does not present a fully formed picture of the visual data. To reach a higher band, the student must accurately report key figures from the table without factual errors and ensure that all major features—such as staff turnover and high income brackets—are highlighted in a clear overall summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organization with an introduction, body, and conclusion, but the overall progression of ideas lacks clarity. Paragraphing is attempted, but the body paragraphs group disparate data points rather than following a logical structure. Cohesive devices are minimal or repetitive, resulting in a somewhat mechanical flow. For example, sentences often begin abruptly without smooth transitions, and referencing is occasionally unclear. To improve, the student should organize information into logical categories—such as company size compared against income and turnover—and use a wider variety of cohesive markers to guide the reader seamlessly through the comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic information about the table. The student attempts some less common terms like 'turnover' and 'bracket', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'Staff in high income bracket was more in second' and 'which we can for'. These errors and awkward collocations cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, the student needs to expand their lexical range with accurate, flexible vocabulary and avoid direct, unnatural translations or incomplete phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences or repetitive patterns. Attempts at more complex descriptions are often faulty or awkward, such as 'The following table illustrates the information about a survey that was carried out'. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing articles ('in first', 'in fifth') and subject-verb agreement issues like 'Staff in high income bracket was more'. These frequent errors can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To progress, the writer must incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with greater accuracy and pay closer attention to articles, prepositions, and verb forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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