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 illustrates the top five small British businesses under the national newspaper's survey, which are the best to work for.

Overall, fifth company had the largest staff numbers, including people under 35, the highest turnover and lower staff in high income bracket, while the first company had the lowest staff members, turnover, and male and female ratio.

A survey was conducted on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd companies, where staff members are 56, 79, and 72 among these companies respectively. However, male and female ratio was at 77%, 59% and 82% for these companies under 35, high income staff was the highest at 74% in 3rd company and the highest proportion of turnover in 2nd company.

4th and 5th company experienced a different graph than others. 76 and 190 members were in 4th and 5th company. Although more male: female ratio and employees under 35 were in 5th company with 33% turnover and 2% high income staff, 4th company had more female ratio, at 87%, and high income staff at 5%. However, 4th company had 26% workers under 35, 8% under 55 and 13% total staff turnover.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant features, including the fifth-ranked company’s largest workforce and highest turnover, and the third company’s 74% share of high-income staff. However, the overview contains an inaccurate comparison: the first company does not have the lowest male-to-female ratio; the fourth has the lowest male share, at 13%. Some figures are also mislabelled. The 77%, 59% and 82% figures refer to employees under 35, not male-to-female ratios, and the second company—not the fifth—has the highest turnover among the first three. The response reports selected data but does not consistently distinguish the categories, and comparisons across all five companies are limited. A clearer overview and more accurate selection and grouping of key figures would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs grouping the first three and final two companies. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the body paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several categories are combined in long sentences. For example, the sentence beginning “A survey was conducted on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd companies” moves from staff numbers to age, income and turnover without clear transitions, and the figures are not always attached to the right category. “However” and “Although” are used, but the contrasts they introduce are not always clear. Organise each paragraph around a consistent comparison, such as workforce profile followed by turnover and income, and use precise references to each company.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of task-related vocabulary, including “staff turnover,” “high income bracket,” “proportion” and “male: female ratio.” These terms show an adequate ability to describe table data, and the meaning is generally recoverable. Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however. “Different graph” is unsuitable because the visual is a table, while “male and female ratio” and “lower staff in high income bracket” are awkward formulations. Repeated use of “company” also makes the description less varied. Choose accurate reporting language and collocations, such as “ranked fourth,” “the proportion of employees” and “a contrasting profile.” This would improve precision while retaining the clear, accessible vocabulary already present.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “Although” and a relative clause in the opening. Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce clarity. For example, “Overall, fifth company had” needs an article, and “A survey was conducted on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd companies” uses an unsuitable preposition and structure. In “76 and 190 members were in 4th and 5th company,” the phrasing and article use are problematic. The final sentence also shifts between past and present-style description. Use consistent present tense for table data, check articles before singular countable nouns, and make sure each sentence has a clear subject and comparison.

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