Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-20

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 4.0)

The provided chart illustrates figures about five minor corporations in Britain that came top in a overview of employees carried out by national newspaper to search out which enterprises are optimal to work for.

Overall, companies which are supreme for work is that they they have many small numbers of employees about 56, while

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

The opening identifies the subject as a comparison of five British companies, and “Overall” shows an attempt to provide the required overview. However, the response stops before reporting the table’s main features: it gives only one figure, 56, and does not explain what that number represents or compare the companies’ staff, age profiles, turnover or income levels. The overview claim that the companies “have many small numbers of employees about 56” is unclear and does not accurately summarise the range of staff numbers shown. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words. To improve, complete the summary with a clear overview and selected, accurate comparisons drawn from the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: the first sentence introduces the table, and the next begins with “Overall,” signalling a summary. This gives the reader a minimal sense of the intended structure. However, the response ends mid-thought at “while,” so there is no completed overview, supporting detail or progression between ideas. The repeated wording “they they” also interrupts the flow, and no comparisons or linking of data are developed. Use a short introduction, a complete overview, and one or two detail paragraphs grouped by meaningful comparisons. Ensure each sentence is finished and that linking words connect complete ideas rather than leaving the reader to infer what follows.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant topic vocabulary, including “employees,” “staff” and “companies,” and attempts more formal wording such as “illustrates” and “carried out.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing this table: “minor corporations” suggests importance rather than company size, “a overview” has an incorrect article, and “search out” and “optimal for work” do not express the task’s meaning naturally. The limited response also offers little range for describing figures or comparisons. Prefer precise, conventional IELTS wording such as “small companies,” “staff survey,” “identify” and “best companies to work for.” Building a bank of terms for proportions, rankings and contrasts would help you report the data clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a complex introductory sentence with a relative clause (“companies in Britain that came top”) and a purpose phrase (“to search out which enterprises…”), showing some willingness to go beyond simple sentences. However, control is uneven. In “a overview,” the article does not agree with the following vowel sound; “which are supreme for work is that” has faulty sentence construction and subject–verb agreement; and “they they” is an uncorrected repetition. The final clause ending in “while” is incomplete, leaving the sentence unfinished. Aim first for complete, controlled sentences: for example, introduce what the table compares, then write a separate overview sentence. Check articles, agreement and sentence boundaries before adding more complex structures.

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