Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-16

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 graph spread news about some of companies which is good for work. The given graph describe the status of companies by spesifies of its specific features like staff numbers , ratio of male and staff , age limit , staff turnover and finally by its income. Now i am describing only two companies graph and its comparison too which is ideally i prefer. Lets describe second colunm and forth colunm in second colunm shows staff members is working there are 79 and in the forth colunm there is 76. In next , shows ratio of male and female staff whoes work there, in second colunm there is 74:53 and in forth one there is 13:87. Third shows age limit , in second colunm the age of workers under 35 is 59% and over 55 is 1%. On the other hand it is 26% / 8%. Forthly shows staff turnover , in second colunm its 18% and in 4th colunm its 13%. Finally its about staff income in second colunm its 48% and in forth colunm its 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the table’s general subject and reports several figures for the second- and fourth-ranked companies, including staff numbers, age groups, turnover and high-income percentages. However, it explicitly limits its discussion to these two companies, so it omits the other three and gives no overall summary of the main patterns across all five. There is also a significant factual error: the second company’s male-to-female ratio is 47:53, not 74:53. The figures for the fourth company are mostly accurate. To make the report more complete, summarise the key contrasts across the full table—for example, the fifth-ranked company has the highest turnover, while the third has the largest high-income share—and check each figure against the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows the table’s sequence of categories, and signposts such as “On the other hand” and “Finally” help the reader recognise transitions. However, the information is presented as one long paragraph, with no distinct introduction, overview and detail sections. The repeated pattern “in second column … in fourth column” makes the progression mechanical, and phrases such as “Third shows age limit” do not clearly connect the category to the comparison. Organise the report into paragraphs: introduce the table, give an overview of the most notable patterns, then group supporting comparisons. Use clear references such as “the second-ranked company” rather than repeatedly relying on “column.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The writer uses some relevant table vocabulary, including “staff turnover,” “ratio,” “under 35” and “income,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is basic and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “graph spread news,” “good for work,” and “age limit” for the age profile. Repetition of “shows” and “colunm” also limits precision, while spelling errors such as “spesifies” and “whoes” reduce control. Use standard report language and precise labels from the table, such as “survey,” “ranked,” “age distribution” and “high-income bracket.” This would make the comparisons clearer and more appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts some longer sentences and uses basic linking structures, but most sentence patterns are simple or incomplete, and grammatical errors occur frequently. For example, “The given graph describe” has subject–verb disagreement, while “in second colunm shows ratio” lacks a clear grammatical subject. The opening sentence, “The given graph spread news,” also has an unclear structure. Articles and prepositions are often missing or awkward, as in “in forth one” and “in second colunm its 18%.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention, particularly where several table details are joined together. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use consistent forms such as “The second-ranked company has…”

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.