Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-17

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 table provide us with data of the five low scale companies in britain that were among the top as per reported by their staff in a national newspaper, inorder to find the company providing best workplace. Overall, multiple factors contributed in deciding this thing which includes staff numbers, male:femle ratio, under 35s/over 55s, staff turnover and staff in high income bracket.

The hotel having top 3 positions have 56,79 and 72 staffs members. Male to female ratio was 30:70, 47:53, 74:26 respecyively. The age of persons were 77%, 59% and 82% respectively. Meanwhile, the ratio of over 55s staff were 0% , 1% and 0% respectively. Sraff turnover along with staff in high income bracket 5 and 34 %, 18 and 45 %, and at last 8 and 74% respectively.

The hotel having top 2 positions have 76 and 192 staffs members. Male to female ratio was 13:87 and 51:49 respecyively. The age of persons were 26% and 82% respectively. Meanwhile, the ratio of over 55s staff were 8% and 0% respectively. Sraff turnover along with staff in high income bracket 13% and 33 %, and at last 33% and 2% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies several relevant categories and reports some figures accurately, including the first three companies’ staff numbers and the 30:70, 47:53 and 74:26 gender ratios. However, the overview merely lists the table’s categories rather than summarising its main patterns, and the account contains important inaccuracies: the fourth- and fifth-ranked companies are called the “top 2,” the fifth has 190 staff rather than 192, and its under-35 figure is 93%, not 82%. The high-income figure for the second company is also 48%, not 45%. Comparisons and the significance of the figures are largely absent, so the task is only partially addressed. Select key contrasts and check each reported value against the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some organisation: the opening introduces the table, and the body separates the first three companies from the remaining two. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the second paragraph calls the first group “the hotel having top 3 positions,” while the next says “top 2 positions,” which does not clearly identify the fourth and fifth companies. Repeated sentence patterns (“Male to female ratio was…” and “Meanwhile…”) make the report feel like a list rather than a connected comparison. The overview also lists categories without establishing a clear main message. Use a concise overview, then group figures by meaningful contrasts, with accurate references such as “the fourth- and fifth-ranked companies.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “staff turnover,” “male to female ratio” and “high income bracket,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several choices or spelling errors reduce clarity: “low scale companies” is not a natural equivalent for small companies, “the hotel” is unsupported by the table, and “staffs members” is awkward. Errors such as “respecyively,” “Sraff” and “inorder” are noticeable. The phrase “deciding this thing” is also vague and informal for an academic report. Aim for precise, neutral terms such as “small businesses,” “employees” and “the companies ranked first to third,” and proofread spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer structures, for example “The table provide us with data… that were among the top as per reported by their staff,” but control is inconsistent and the sentence is difficult to parse. Subject–verb agreement errors occur in “The table provide” and “The hotel… have”; articles and number are also problematic in “56… staffs members.” Several fragments or compressed constructions, such as “Sraff turnover along with staff in high income bracket 5 and 34%,” do not clearly express the relationship between the figures. Most sentences follow a repetitive simple pattern, with limited accurate complex structure. Build clearer sentences with a subject and verb for each comparison, and check agreement, articles, plurals and punctuation.

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