Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-08

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 diagram illustrates the floor plan of public library by comparing it with 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Overall, it can be seen that a lot of development has been done, with an adition of cafe while, most of the books merge into all reference books however, the entrance remain the same.

initially, if we look into east side of the central library we can see that in past the north east side of the public library there were room for children books but in recent times we can see a lecture room, and in the south east corner it used to be a enguiry desk but now we have an adition of cafe however, in between both of them it used to be adult non-fiction books section but now we have some self service machines along with information desk and adult fiction books. While on the opposite side we can see all reference books section where 20 years back there was adult fiction books section. Also, if we look closely into north side we can see that on the north west side there was computer section including cds, videos etc which now converted intp storytelling room along with childrean section.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the new café, the unchanged entrance, and the replacement of the former adult non-fiction area with adult fiction, an information desk and self-service machines. These details show a relevant understanding of the plans. However, the overview is broad and partly inaccurate: “most of the books merge into all reference books” does not describe the changes, since only the former adult fiction section becomes the all-reference-books area. Some locations are also misreported: the north-west room previously held CDs, videos and games, not a computer section, and it is now used for children’s fiction and storytelling. Include the reading room’s replacement by a computer room and the new lecture room to cover the main changes more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an opening, an attempted overview and a body paragraph, and it generally moves from the eastern side to the western and northern areas. This gives the reader some sense of how the plans are being compared. However, the body is largely one long sentence, with several ideas joined by “and,” “but,” “however” and “while,” so relationships between changes are not always clear. The overview also contains a confusing contrast about books merging into reference books. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the main comparisons, then group locations consistently—for example, east side, west side and central area. Clearer sentence boundaries and more precise referencing would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “floor plan,” “north east side,” “corner,” “section” and “converted.” This provides a basic range for reporting locations and changes. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “a lot of development has been done,” “books merge into,” and “in the past … there were room.” Spelling errors, including “adition,” “enguiry,” “intp” and “childrean,” are noticeable and reduce the clarity and control of the vocabulary. Aim for precise map-description phrases such as “was replaced by,” “was converted into” and “is now located,” and check spelling carefully. Avoid using “development” when you mean changes to the layout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt complex comparisons, particularly in the long sentence beginning “if we look into east side,” and you use past and present forms to contrast the two plans. However, the complex structures are often faulty, and sentence boundaries and punctuation are inconsistent. Examples include “the entrance remain the same,” where the subject and verb do not agree, and “there were room,” which has an incorrect plural form. Articles are also missing in phrases such as “of public library” and “in south east corner.” The final sentence runs together several clauses without clear punctuation. Build accuracy with shorter comparison sentences first, then combine them using controlled clauses; check articles, agreement and tense consistency.

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