Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-06
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 tables illustrate the numbers, ratios, and percentages of the five best small companies in Britain to work for, based on a survey conducted by a national newspaper among staff.
Overall, the 5th company's survey shows more reliable results as a good number of people under 35 work here, but the main drawback of working in this company is that its high-income staff are few. The remaining four companies show variation in numbers, ratios, and percentages. The 3rd company has the highest percentage of staff with handsome income, while the 2nd company comes after it.
The staff number is highest in the 5th company is the highest, at 190, while among the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies, it shows variation between 72 and 79, and the 1st company has 56. Ratiom
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly at 131 words with an incomplete sentence ending in 'Ratiom'. Furthermore, the coverage of the prompt is limited and lacks a fully realised overview. While the student attempts to present some features from the table, such as mentioning that the 5th company has the highest staff number at 190 and noting details about the 3rd company's high-income bracket, the selection of data is erratic and includes personal interpretation or confusion, such as stating that the 5th company's survey 'shows more reliable results'. To improve, the writer must ensure the full word length is achieved, present a clear, objective overview of all main trends without subjective commentary, and select key features systematically across all five companies.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
The text demonstrates some basic organisation with an introductory sentence and an attempt at paragraphing, but overall progression is lacking. The second paragraph groups a few ideas together, but the abrupt termination of the text disrupts logical flow. Cohesive devices are very limited, and referencing is sometimes unclear, for example, jumping between different companies without a clear comparative structure. To move to a higher band, the student needs to structure the report with distinct paragraphs that logically group data, use a wider range of cohesive ties to connect ideas smoothly, and ensure every sentence contributes to a unified, progressive discussion of the table.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe numbers, ratios, and percentages. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as referring to a high income as a 'handsome income', which is slightly informal for an academic report. The abrupt ending also includes a typo or incomplete word ('Ratiom'). To achieve a higher score, the student should incorporate a broader and more precise range of academic vocabulary, employ less common lexical items accurately, and avoid informal or imprecise phrasing when reporting statistical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'While the 3rd company has the highest percentage...'. However, there are noticeable structural awkwardnesses and errors, including repetitive sentence openings and faulty phrasing like 'The staff number is highest in the 5th company is the highest'. Punctuation and basic grammar are generally manageable, but errors in sentence construction occasionally cause confusion for the reader, and the response ends mid-sentence. To improve, the writer must exercise greater control over complex sentence structures, eliminate redundant phrasing, and ensure all sentences are grammatically complete.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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