Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-21

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

THE FIVE BEST SMALL COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

Student answer (Band 4.5)

The table illustrate different fiqures of five small companies choosed in a survey by a national newspaper. These companies are working in Britain.

Overall, In a survy five small companies are inspected in different ways like their staff numbers, male and female ratio, under 35 and over 55, staff turnover and staff in high bracket incom.The figures of all the 5 companies are surprising

The 1st company has 56 employee which is less than other 4 companies but turnover ratio is very impressive that is lowest than the other ones. second company has 79 employee that are grater than to other companies except one and have balnced ratio in male and female employee.

3rd company has largest in staff incom as compared to others but has no employee whose age is above 55. 4th has more staff turn over and 5th has largest empl

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion4.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the table’s subject and report several relevant comparisons, including the first company’s low staff count and turnover, the third company’s high-income figure, and the absence of over-55s in some firms. However, the response is incomplete and covers the data only partially: the final sentence is cut off at “5th has largest empl,” and several key figures or comparisons are missing. Some statements are inaccurate or unclear, such as saying the second company’s staff number is greater than all but one, when the fifth company is much larger. The overview mainly lists categories and calls the figures “surprising” rather than summarising the main patterns. The response is also six words below the required minimum. Develop a clear overview and report accurate, selected comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening identifies the table, an overview follows, and the remaining sentences discuss individual companies. This gives the reader some sense of the intended sequence. However, progression is limited because the overview repeats the categories rather than grouping the main findings, and the body moves from company to company without a clear comparison framework. Linking is sparse, while phrases such as “but” do not always make the relationship between the figures clear. The final sentence is unfinished, which disrupts the ending and leaves the fifth company’s information incomplete. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for the overview and comparisons, and group companies by shared features such as turnover or age profile.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “staff numbers,” “male and female ratio,” “staff turnover,” and “high bracket income,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices, collocations, and spelling errors make the report less clear: “different fiqures,” “choosed,” “survy,” “balnced,” and “largest staff incom.” “The figures … are surprising” is also vague and does not describe a measurable pattern. Aim for precise reporting language such as “ranked,” “accounted for,” “the highest proportion,” and “compared with.” Check spelling carefully and use standard phrases such as “high-income bracket” and “staff turnover rate” to make comparisons more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, for example, “The 1st company has 56 employee which is less than other 4 companies but turnover ratio is very impressive.” However, grammatical control is weak and errors are frequent, sometimes making relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “The table illustrate,” “five small companies are inspected,” and “56 employee,” which show problems with subject–verb agreement, tense or voice, and plural forms. Articles and sentence boundaries are also often missing, and the final sentence is incomplete. Build accuracy first with clear comparative sentence patterns, such as “The first company employs 56 people, the fewest of the five, and has the lowest turnover rate.” Then combine ideas using correctly punctuated clauses.

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.