Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-11

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 graph tells about 5 small companies that are better to work for and it has some mean features listed on as staff members, male/female ration, the age ration, staff turnover and staf in high income brackets.

The first company that is on top has less numbers of staff campared to all other and it has 30:70 male ration means less male members than 2nd, 3rd and 4th company and more females than all of them except 4th. Its has lowest tunrover and 3rd highest staff income as well under 35 staff ration which 77% less then 3rd and 5th.

At second number the company has highest staff members beside 5th and 47:53 gender ration balanced and near to 5th. It has 56 percent staff members under 35 less than all except 4th which got 26%. Itas has second highest number of staff turn over and high income bucket.

The company that is on third on list has second lowest staff members, highest male ratio, second high number of members under 35 and highest income bucket and just 8% turn over less than all just 1st which got 5%.

4th compay got has 5% income ration lowest expet 5th and highest staff members over 55 which 8% which all of company has 0% expet 2nd with 1% only. the staff turn over is higher than 2nd and lower than 5th.

The last company leads by staff members and has most balanced 51:49 male and female ration and highest members under 35 and lowest income with only 2% but highest turnover leading with 33% percent following by 2nd company at 18%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant comparisons, including the first-ranked company’s low turnover, the third-ranked company’s high-income share, and the fifth-ranked company’s largest workforce and highest turnover. However, the response does not provide a clear overview of the main patterns across the table, and some key comparisons are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the fifth company has the highest proportion of staff under 35 (93%), not the third company; the second company’s under-35 figure is 59%, not 56%; and the first company’s 77% is not lower than the third and fifth figures alone, since it is also higher than the second and fourth. Several descriptions, such as “second high number” and “less than all,” do not make the intended comparison clear. Select the strongest overall patterns and check each figure against the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is divided into paragraphs that generally follow the companies’ survey positions, so the reader can see which company each paragraph discusses. You also use basic linking expressions such as “At second number,” “The company that is on third,” and “The last company.” However, this company-by-company sequence does not establish a clear overall progression or group related features for comparison. Some references are difficult to follow, as in “less than all just 1st,” and repeated use of “and” makes several sentences feel like lists. Begin with a concise overview of the main contrasts, then organise details into logical groups, such as workforce profile and turnover/income, using clear comparisons between companies.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “staff turnover,” “male/female,” “balanced,” and “high income,” which helps communicate the table’s subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or informal, sometimes making the meaning hard to interpret. Phrases such as “better to work for,” “income bucket,” “income ration,” and “leads by staff members” are not suitable or precise descriptions of the data. Spelling errors, including “ration,” “tunrover,” “compay,” and “expet,” are also noticeable. Use standard terms such as “ranked,” “proportion,” “workforce,” and “staff turnover,” and check spelling carefully so that your comparisons are easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect several pieces of information in longer sentences, but the structures are often faulty, and errors frequently make relationships between figures unclear. For example, “Its has lowest tunrover and 3rd highest staff income as well under 35 staff ration which 77%” lacks clear sentence structure and a complete clause. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and sentence formation in “4th compay got has 5% income ration” and “the staff turn over is higher than 2nd.” Most sentences rely on simple patterns joined by “and,” with limited accurate complex grammar. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use comparative structures such as “higher than” and “the highest proportion of.”

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.