Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The table illustrates information about the five highest-ranked small companies in Britain, based on a staff survey conducted by a national newspaper to identify the best companies to work for.

Overall, it can bee seen that under 35/ over 55 had the highest proportion at all position in survey. Where staff turnover were the least ranked overall.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The opening accurately identifies the table as a staff survey of Britain’s five highest-ranked small companies, and you attempt an overview. However, the overview misreads the data: under-35s are not the largest group at every position, since the fourth-ranked company has only 26% under-35 staff, and staff turnover is not “the least ranked” overall. The response gives no specific figures or meaningful comparisons, so the main features of the table are not reported. It is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, describe the clearest contrasts—for example, the fifth-ranked company has the most staff and highest turnover, while the third has the highest proportion in the high-income bracket—and support these points with figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: an introductory sentence identifies the table, followed by an attempted overall summary. This gives the reader a simple starting structure. However, the two sentences do not develop into a report, and there is no grouping or progression through the table’s comparisons. The connector “Where” does not clearly link the second observation to the first, and the overview itself is difficult to follow. Organise the response into an introduction, a concise overview, and one or two paragraphs comparing related data, such as age and gender patterns or turnover and income. Use linking expressions only where they show a clear relationship between the points.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “table,” “highest-ranked,” “staff survey,” and “proportion,” and the opening communicates the general subject. However, the range is very limited for describing data, and some phrases are imprecise or unnatural: “under 35/ over 55” does not clearly name the age groups, while “staff turnover were the least ranked overall” does not express a clear comparison. There is also a spelling error in “bee.” Build a small set of accurate reporting terms, such as “accounted for,” “the highest/lowest proportion,” and “turnover rate,” and use them to describe specific figures rather than relying on broad statements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response uses simple sentence structures, including a present-tense introduction and an overview beginning with “Overall.” The first sentence is mostly understandable, showing some control of basic clause formation. However, the range is narrow, and errors in the second sentence make the comparison unclear: “under 35/ over 55 had” lacks a clear noun phrase, “at all position” has a number-agreement error, and “staff turnover were” has subject–verb disagreement. The fragment-like use of “Where” also leaves the relationship between ideas incomplete. Practise forming complete comparison sentences, for example, “The proportion of employees under 35 was highest in the third- and fifth-ranked companies.” Check agreement and plural forms when editing.

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