Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-31

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 5.0)

The given table elucidates information about the five best small companies in britain that came top in a survey of staff conducted by a national newspaper and which companies are the best to work for . The table compares different categories presents the data in numbers and percentages . Overall , it is clear that there are noticeable difference among the categories shown in the chary , the fifth company appear to be the highest , while the first company opposite of it . in addition , some categories show some fluctuations by following increment as well as decrement whereas for some cases they remain stable . According to the table , the survey of the first company staff members are 56 and 30:70 male female ratio and 77%/0% under 35s/over 55s and 5% staff turn over and 34% staff in high income bracket compared to the other . This is the followed by second survey of company the staff members 79 , 47:53 the ratio of male and female , 59%/1% staff under 35s / over 55s , and 18% staff turnover and the survey 48% staff in high income bracket . Furthermore , 3rd survey of company staff members are 72 , 74:26 the ratio of male and female , 82% / 0% under the 35s / over 55s , 8% staff turnover , and 74% staff in high income bracket . Lets have a look at the remaining information , it is evident that the last survey of company 190 staff members 51:49 the ratio of male and female 93% / 0% staff under 35s / over 55s , 33% staff turnover , and the last category 2% staff in high income bracket . All the provided the data suggests that there is no stability in all the categories .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You report several figures accurately, including the staff totals and turnover for the first three companies, and the 190 employees and 33% turnover for the fifth. However, the overview is vague and partly misleading: saying the fifth company is “the highest” does not specify that it leads in staff numbers, under-35 employees and turnover, while the first is not simply its opposite. The response also omits the fourth-ranked company entirely, despite its distinctive 13:87 gender ratio and very low 5% high-income figure. Some comparisons are missing, and “no stability in all the categories” is not a clear summary of the data. Focus on the strongest contrasts and give a concise, accurate overview before selecting supporting figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is an attempt to organise the response with an introduction, an overview and sequencing phrases such as “According to the table,” “Furthermore” and “Lets have a look.” However, the information is largely presented as a long sequence of company-by-company lists, so the reader has to work to identify the main comparisons. The fourth company is skipped, disrupting the coverage of the table, and the final sentence repeats a broad claim rather than drawing the report together. Several linking phrases are awkward or repetitive, and the overview does not guide the later details. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and grouped comparisons, and connect figures by meaningful similarities or contrasts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “staff turnover,” “high income bracket,” “ratio” and “categories,” and the meaning of most figures can be understood. However, word choice and collocation are often imprecise or repetitive: “the fifth company appear to be the highest” and “the first company opposite of it” do not clearly express the intended comparisons. “Fluctuations” and “stable” are also unsuitable for describing a table of fixed values. There are noticeable spelling and form errors, such as “chary,” “britain,” “turn over” and “Lets,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise reporting language such as “ranked first,” “recorded,” “accounted for” and “compared with,” and check spelling and capitalization.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer structures, including clauses linked with “while” and “whereas,” but most sentences rely on basic patterns or become overloaded lists. Errors in agreement and sentence construction are frequent: “there are noticeable difference” needs plural agreement, and “the fifth company appear” needs a singular verb. Phrases such as “the survey of the first company staff members are 56” do not form a clear grammatical sentence, while “This is the followed by second survey” is also faulty. Punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops are inconsistent. Build clearer sentences with a subject and verb for each company, and use accurate comparative clauses; then proofread agreement, articles and punctuation.

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