Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Central Library 20 years ago

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The given diagram illustrate the changes of a public liabrary over 20 years. Overall, the liabrary undergo some significant changes,with existing table and chair are removed and replaced by sofas.Sevaral internal rooms are also redeveloped with more facilities.

At 20 years ago, the northern part contained two rooms. one was used for children`s books and another was used for different types of CDs,videos and computer games. However, at present , those rooms are redeveloped. one room is a lecture room and another room is furnished by sofa and children`s fiction books, story telli

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies that the library has changed and gives a relevant overview, noting the removal of the tables and chairs and the redevelopment of rooms. It also makes a valid comparison between the former children’s-books room and the current lecture room, and between the former media room and the new children’s area. However, the account stops partway through and omits major changes elsewhere, including the reference-book area, computer room, adult fiction section, information desk, self-service machines and café. The description is therefore only a partial response, with key features left unreported. It is also 57 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited coverage. To improve, complete the comparison across the whole plan and report the main changes in each part of the library.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic overall structure: an opening sentence, an overview introduced by “Overall,” and a paragraph beginning with the earlier layout. The contrast marker “However” also helps signal a change from past to present. These features give the reader some direction. However, the response ends abruptly at “story telli,” so the comparison has no clear conclusion or progression through the rest of the plan. The transition from the overview to “At 20 years ago” is also awkward, and the repeated use of “one room” makes the references less clear. Organise the details by location or by major change, use clear past-versus-present links, and finish the comparison rather than leaving a sentence incomplete.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “redeveloped,” “facilities,” “lecture room,” and “children’s fiction books.” These terms show an attempt to describe changes rather than simply list labels. However, the range is limited by the short, unfinished account, and several spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable: “liabrary,” “Sevaral,” and “story telli.” The phrase “furnished by sofa” is also an inaccurate collocation, and “different types of CDs” is less precise than the labels in the plan. Use accurate plan vocabulary such as “converted into,” “contains,” and “is located,” and check spelling and collocations carefully. More precise terms would make the comparisons clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms. For example, “Overall, the library undergo some significant changes, with existing table and chair are removed…” tries to combine an overview with a passive construction, while “However, at present…” introduces a contrast. However, errors in verb form, agreement, articles and sentence boundaries are frequent enough to make parts of the writing awkward. “The given diagram illustrate” needs subject–verb agreement, and “the library undergo” should be “the library has undergone.” The clause “with existing table and chair are removed” is not grammatically formed; a passive such as “the tables and chairs have been removed” would work. Capitalisation after full stops and consistent tense control also need attention. Practise accurate past and present passive forms when describing changes.

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