Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-03

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 6.5)

The table compares five small companies in the UK which were ranked as the best to work for by their employees in a national newspaper survey. It provides data on staff numbers, gender ratio, age distribution, staff turnover, and the proportion of staff earning a high income.

Overall, all five companies had a predominantly young workforce with the very few employees over 55. While the fifth ranked company had by far the largest number of staff, it also had highest staff turnover and the lowest proportion of high earners. In contrast, the top three companies had the low turnover and a much higher percentage of staff in the high-income bracket.

Regarding the workforce composition, the fifth ranked company was a significantly larger then others with 190 employees while the other four companies had a between 56 and 79 staff. In term of gender the third company had a predominantly male workforce at 74%, whereas the fourth company was heavily female-dominated with the 87% women. The first, second and fifth companies had a more balance gender ratio. As for age all companies had a high proportion of young employees. The company ranked fifth had the youngest workforce with 93% followed by the third ranked company at 82%. Notably, three companies had no staff over the age of 55, and only the fourth company had a significantly proportion of older workers at 8%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt by selecting and reporting the main features of the table while making relevant comparisons. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting the general youthfulness of the workforce alongside key contrasts regarding staff turnover, company size, and high-income proportions. However, certain parts of the data are treated with minor generalisations or slightly under-developed comparisons; for instance, while the text mentions age distribution effectively, the discussion of staff numbers could have been integrated more tightly with the survey rankings. To reach a higher level, the response needs to extend the analysis of relationships between the data points—such as connecting staff turnover directly with the survey position or age demographics—with greater precision and depth across all categories.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical organisation. The introduction is well-structured, followed by a logical division into an overview paragraph and detailed body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as "Overall," "While," "In contrast," and "Regarding" are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, ensuring each section focuses on distinct aspects of the table. Nevertheless, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical, and referencing could be smoother in transitions between sentences. To achieve a higher band, the writer should aim for more sophisticated and varied linking phrases, ensuring that the progression of ideas flows naturally without relying on formulaic transition markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, successfully conveying information about statistics, rankings, and demographic traits. The student attempts less common lexical items, such as "predominantly young workforce," "proportion," and "heavily female-dominated." However, there are minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as "had the low turnover" (missing a possessive or article) and "a more balance gender ratio" (incorrect word form). Spelling is generally accurate, and word choices do not impede communication. To move to the next level, the writer needs to demonstrate a more precise and flexible range of less common vocabulary and collocations, avoiding minor word-form slips and employing more varied academic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, showing some control over subordinate clauses and comparative forms. There are several grammatical errors present, such as articles and prepositions, including "had highest staff turnover" (missing 'the'), "significantly larger then others" (spelling of 'than' and redundant 'others'), "had a between 56 and 79 staff" (unnecessary article), and "a significantly proportion" (incorrect adjective form). Despite these errors, meaning is rarely obscured, and communication remains clear. To attain a higher band, the writer must produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and exercise tighter control over articles, adjectives, and prepositions within grammatical patterns.

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