Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-02
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 4.5)
The given table demonstrates the 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 allocates the best to work for.
The tables provides the data of ranking first to fifth position, as staff numbers in companies got first positions in five best small companies to work for and staff in high income bracket fluctuates with different percentages.
In survey there are few positions which rank at high level of five companies like staff numbers accounted on top of list with 56, 79, 72, 76 and 190 respectivly.Male:female ation ranked on second number with 30:70, 47:53,74:26, 13:87 and 51:49.
Value of under 35s / over 55s vary but at first position with 77% /0%.
On other hand, staff turnover remian at first position with 5 percentage on second with 18% as well on third its 8%, 13% on fourth position and 33 percent at fifth position.While staff in high income brackets at fifth number with diffrent percentages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response attempts to address the task by reporting information from the table, but the selection of data is erratic and lacks a clear overview. The student lists random data points such as staff numbers (56, 79, 72, 76, 190) and male-to-female ratios without organising them coherently or making meaningful comparisons. Furthermore, there is confusion in how the data is presented, with inaccurate references to ranking positions, meaning the information is only partially communicated. To reach a higher band, the response needs a clear overview identifying main trends and a well-structured selection of key features rather than listing isolated figures.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The organisation of the text is weak, lacking a clear overall progression. Although paragraph breaks are attempted, ideas within the paragraphs are disjointed and difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, with repetitive transitional phrases like 'on other hand' and 'at first position'. Referencing between sentences is often unclear, such as the abrupt transitions between staff numbers, ratios, and turnover rates. To improve, the writer should use logical sequencing, group related data together, and employ a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to guide the reader smoothly through the comparison.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, with frequent lexical errors that impede communication. Words are often misused or combined unnaturally, such as 'allocates the best to work for', 'staff numbers in companies got first positions', and 'male:female ation'. There are also spelling and word-form errors, including 'remian' instead of 'remain' and 'diffrent' instead of 'different'. To achieve a higher score, the student needs to build a broader range of task-specific vocabulary and learn correct collocations for describing statistical data, such as 'proportion', 'turnover rate', and 'percentage'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The grammatical range is severely restricted, relying mostly on simple or poorly formed complex structures. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, including subject-verb agreement ('The tables provides'), missing articles ('In survey'), and incorrect prepositions or phrasing ('accounted on top of list', 'at fifth number'). Punctuation and sentence boundaries also show instability, leading to run-on structures that can cause difficulty for the reader. To progress, the writer must focus on foundational grammatical accuracy, correct tense usage, and the proper construction of complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.