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

Student answer (Band 4.5)

The first company have 56 workers. The first company have female and male ratio is 30:70. They work under the 35s or over 55s.They have percentage of 77%and 0%. And their staff turnover in 5 percent .Their staff have in high income bracket 34%.Similarly,the second compny have79 staff membors on that time. 2nd company have fmale and male ratio is 47:53. They work under35s or over 55s 59%/1%. Their 18% staff turnover and highincome of staff of second company is 48%. And the third company have 72 workers and male and female ratio 74:26 they work under the 35s/over 55s is 82% /0% . Their 8% turn over and staff in high income bracket 74%.Now the 4th company have 76 membors and their male and female ratio is 13:87 under the 35s /over 55s is 26%/8%.Last company have high income is 2% and their staff turnover is 33%.3rd earn highest income from all these companies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response includes several accurate figures, such as the first company’s 56 employees and 30:70 gender ratio, and correctly identifies the third company as having the highest proportion of high-income staff. However, it mainly lists details company by company rather than selecting and summarising the table’s key features. There is no clear overview of the main patterns, and the fifth company is only partly covered: its 190 employees, 51:49 gender ratio and 93% under-35 figure are omitted. The statement that “3rd earn highest income” is also imprecise; the table shows 74% of its staff are in the high-income bracket. To improve, give an overview first, then compare the most notable contrasts across companies and report the fifth company’s key figures accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows the table’s company order, so readers can partly track which figures belong to each business. However, it is presented as one long sequence with no paragraphing or clear overview, and the repeated pattern of “the first company… the second company… and the third company” makes the organisation mechanical. Connections such as “Similarly” and “Now” do little to show meaningful comparisons, while the final sentence introduces a point without integrating it into the summary. Grouping related comparisons—for example, staff turnover or age profiles—would create clearer progression. Use a short overview followed by organised comparison paragraphs, and make links between companies explicit rather than simply moving down the rankings.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on “company,” “staff,” “have,” and “work.” Some relevant table terms are used, including “staff turnover,” “male and female ratio,” and “high income bracket,” which helps communicate the subject. However, several expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “They work under the 35s,” “their staff have in high income bracket,” and “3rd earn highest income.” Spelling errors including “compny,” “membors,” and “fmale” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise range for describing data, using terms such as “accounted for,” “proportion,” and “ranked highest,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to report several figures in simple sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent. Subject–verb agreement errors recur in “The first company have” and “the second company have,” and articles or possessive forms are often missing, as in “Their 18% staff turnover.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also weak: several clauses run together, for example in the description of the third company, making relationships between details harder to follow. The range is mostly limited to short, repetitive statements, with little evidence of controlled complex structures. Practise accurate present-tense reporting patterns such as “The company has…” and “The proportion of staff under 35 is…,” then combine related figures using well-punctuated comparison sentences.

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