Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-06

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 5.5)

The given diagram demonstrates the difference between central library 20 years ago and central library today,these diagrams shows how much difference was created between them.

Overall,the central library before 20 years ago was not much facilitated as compare to central library today,some advance things was included in the central library today.For instance,CDs,videos and computer games was replaced with storytelling events,sofa and children's fiction books.And lecture room and cafeteria was also included in the central library today.In simple words we can say that today's central library is more advanced than the central library 20 years ago.

Moreover,some old things was replaced instead of modern facilities like adult non-fiction books was replaced by information desk and self-service machines and the most advance change in the central library today was the inclusion of computer room instead of reading rooms,newspapers and magazines and the tables and chairs was also removed in front of the entrance.

Today's central library was more facilitated as compare to the central library before 20 years ago.Many new things was added in today's central library.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad change from a traditional library layout to one with newer facilities, and you mention several relevant conversions, including the former reading room becoming a computer room and the addition of a lecture room and café. However, some comparisons are inaccurate: the adult non-fiction area was not replaced by the information desk and machines; it became an adult-fiction area, while the desk and machines were added there. The tables and chairs were in the central area, not “in front of the entrance.” Your overview also relies on the vague judgement that the library is “more advanced” rather than clearly summarising the main spatial changes. Cover the key changes more precisely, including the reference-book area and the new café and service facilities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an overall structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details, and the reader can follow the general comparison. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph repeats the claim that the present library is more developed without adding information. The sequence of changes within the detail paragraph is also difficult to track, as several areas are grouped together without a clear spatial or thematic order. Linking phrases such as “Moreover” and “For instance” are used, but connections between individual changes are not always clear. Organise the body by location or by old-to-new conversions, and use clear references such as “the former reading room” to make relationships easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “self-service machines,” “lecture room,” “children’s fiction books” and “reading rooms,” so the main subject is generally clear. There is also an attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “included,” “replaced” and “inclusion.” However, vocabulary is repetitive and some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “more facilitated” is not an appropriate way to describe a library’s facilities, and “advance things” is vague. “Cafeteria” is understandable, but the plan labels this area a café. Aim for precise terms for changes and locations, and avoid repeating “central library” and “today’s central library” when clearer references such as “the current layout” are available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including a comparison introduced by “For instance” and a sentence beginning “Moreover.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in agreement, articles, tense and punctuation occur across the response. For example, “these diagrams shows” should be “these diagrams show,” while “some old things was replaced” needs plural agreement and a more suitable tense. The opening also runs clauses together: “20 years ago and central library today,these diagrams…” needs sentence separation and spaces after commas. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions of the former plan and present-tense descriptions of the current one, while checking subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries.

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