Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-26

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 5.5)

The table shows the information about five small companies in Britian that came top in a survey of worker conducted by a national newspaper to find out which is the best for working out of others.

Overall, the first position achiever have the least number of staff members ,while the last position one have the maximum number of workers.In addition the former had the third highest staff in high income bracket ,whereas the latter had only few.The other companies who achieved 2nd,3rd and 4th position have nearly same number of working people ,but the staff in high income bracket was in the 3rd .

If we look in more detail , the topper had only 56 people working ,and have 34% of staff in the high income bracket. The worst performer had 190 people and only 2% high income staff.

In contrast, the comopany which had the highest staff in high income bracket was the company who got 3rd position ,as it has 74% of the satff in high income area with only 72 staff.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the table’s subject and report several relevant comparisons, including the first-placed company’s 56 employees and 34% in the high-income bracket, and the fifth-placed company’s 190 employees and 2%. You also correctly identify the third-placed company as having the highest high-income share, at 74%. However, the overview is incomplete and partly unclear: the second-, third- and fourth-placed companies have similar staff numbers, but the claim that high-income staff “was in the 3rd” does not clearly explain the comparison. Important patterns such as turnover, gender balance and age are omitted. Develop a clearer overview and select a few more key contrasts, ensuring each comparison is expressed precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs giving details. This helps the reader follow the main comparisons, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” signal the intended relationships. However, progression is limited because the final two paragraphs repeat the same comparisons about staff numbers and high-income employees rather than adding a broader set of details. Some linking is also mechanical, and references such as “the former,” “the latter,” and “the 3rd” are not always immediately clear. Grouping the data by meaningful features—for example, workforce size and income, then turnover and staff profile—and using precise references would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “staff members,” “high income bracket,” “staff turnover,” and “position,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “worker,” “best for working out of others,” “topper,” and “worst performer.” These choices sometimes make the intended meaning less clear or sound informal for an academic report. There are also spelling errors, including “Britian,” “comopany,” and “satff.” Use neutral reporting language such as “ranked first,” “ranked fifth,” and “employees in the highest income bracket,” and check spelling carefully. More precise vocabulary would help you describe the table without relying on vague labels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentences, including the contrast beginning “Overall” and the sentence comparing the second-, third- and fourth-placed companies. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors occur in both simple and longer structures. For example, “the first position achiever have” has subject–verb disagreement, while “the topper had only 56 people working, and have 34%” shifts incorrectly between verb forms. Articles and sentence construction are also problematic in “the company who got 3rd position.” These errors make parts of the report awkward to read, even though the main figures can usually be understood. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and agreement, and build longer sentences from correctly formed clauses before adding contrasts.

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