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)

There is five companies whose data is given in the table. The number of staff in 5th company is high as compare to the others and low in 1st company and the male to female ratio in the 3rd company is higher then the other company. The under 35s/ over 55s in the company 5th is higher than the others. And the staff turnover is in the 5th company is also higher than the other companies and low in the 1st company. The staff in high income bracket is greater in 3rd company as compare to the other company low in the 5th company. The work of the company depends on the worker of the company and if the numbers of the worker is higher and the worker would be compidant and the company should have to pay them a good sallary then the worker keep hardworking and the company works the the best as compare to the others.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant extremes, including the fifth company having the most staff and highest turnover, and the third having the largest share of employees in the high-income bracket. However, the response gives only a limited account of the table and does not provide the actual figures, so comparisons are often vague. Some details are inaccurate: the fifth company has the highest proportion of under-35s, not the highest combined under-35/over-55 figure, and the first company has the lowest staff count but not the lowest turnover—the first company does have the lowest turnover, at 5%. The final comments about how companies should pay workers are not supported by the table and do not answer the summarising task. Focus on an accurate overview and selected numerical comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response moves through several table categories in a generally recognisable order, using links such as “and” and “also” to connect observations. However, it is presented as one long paragraph, with no clear separation between an overview, supporting comparisons, and the concluding opinion. Repeated sentence openings and connectors make the progression mechanical, while the final discussion of how companies should pay workers shifts away from the data and weakens the overall organisation. Group related information—for example, staff size and turnover together, then age, gender and income—and use clear transitions to show contrasts. This would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use basic vocabulary relevant to the table, including “staff,” “ratio,” “turnover,” and “high income bracket,” and the reader can usually identify the intended comparisons. However, the range is repetitive and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, such as “as compare to,” “compidant,” and “sallary.” Phrases like “the number of staff … is high” are understandable but imprecise; “had the largest workforce” would be more natural. The informal, unsupported wording about workers being “hardworking” also does not suit a factual report. Build a more precise set of comparison phrases and check spelling and collocations so that errors do not distract from the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts some longer sentences, but control is weak and errors occur throughout. The opening “There is five companies” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, and “the staff turnover is in the 5th company is also higher” contains a faulty sentence structure. Articles, plurals and comparison patterns are also inconsistent, as in “the other company” and “higher then the other company.” Most sentences rely on simple clauses joined with “and,” so there is little evidence of a controlled range of structures. Use shorter, complete sentences first, checking agreement and sentence boundaries, then practise accurate comparative forms such as “higher than” and “the highest among the five companies.”

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