Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The given diagram illustrates the changes of layout of a public library over twenty years.

Overall, the library has undergone significant redevelopment. The traditional way of the library has been replaced in modern way with computer room and cafe . However, the main entrance and the number of rooms are remain unchanged.

Twenty years ago,the northern part of the library had two rooms . One of them containd children's books and another contained a range of media items including CDs, videos and computer games.At present , one room is used for lecture room and another for children. Children room contains children's fiction books ,sofas. Storytelling events are also held in children room.

At presnt the southern part

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the broad subject and note some genuine changes, including the new lecture room and the children’s area with storytelling events. However, the response addresses the plan only partially: it stops before describing the southern and central areas, so major changes such as the computer room, café, information desk and self-service machines are omitted. The overview also says the number of rooms is unchanged, which is not clearly supported by the plans, and the comparison of the northern rooms is incomplete. The response is 117 words, below the required 150, which contributes to the limited coverage. To improve, give a concise overview of the main transformations, then compare the key areas on both sides and complete the description of the present-day layout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview and a paragraph comparing the northern part of the library. This gives the reader some sense of progression, and phrases such as “Twenty years ago” and “At present” help signal the time comparison. However, the final paragraph begins “At presnt the southern part” and is left unfinished, so the organisation breaks down and the comparison cannot be followed to its conclusion. Some links between ideas are also abrupt, particularly the shift from the overview to the room-by-room account. Use complete paragraphs organised by area or by past-versus-present changes, and connect each comparison explicitly. A finished final paragraph would make the sequence substantially clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “layout,” “redevelopment,” “media items,” “lecture room” and “storytelling events.” These choices show an adequate range for the topic, and the reader can generally understand the intended meaning. However, several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “the traditional way of the library,” “replaced in modern way,” and “Children room.” There are also spelling errors, including “containd” and “presnt,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for standard map-description collocations such as “the layout has been modernised,” “the former children’s room,” and “the southern section.” Check spelling carefully and use the exact labels from the plan where they help make locations and facilities precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more developed sentences, for example, “The given diagram illustrates the changes of layout…” and “Children room contains children’s fiction books, sofas.” However, grammatical errors are frequent enough to make parts of the response awkward. In the overview, “the number of rooms are remain unchanged” has incorrect agreement and verb construction; write “the number of rooms has remained unchanged” if that claim is intended. Other examples include “over twenty years” where “over the past twenty years” is more suitable, and missing articles in “used for lecture room” and “in children room.” Punctuation and spacing are also inconsistent. Practise accurate past and present comparisons, articles, and complete sentence patterns before attempting more complex structures.

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