Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram illustrates the changes in floor plan of a public library compared to its state 20 years ago.

Overall, it is clear that there were dramatic changes in the central library that provide a wider range of facilities for the users.

In the past, it can be seen that there were tables and chairs when entering from the entrance. Enquiry desk was placed to the right of the entrance. On the left there were a reading room, where individuals could read news and magazines etc. In the middle there were space for the adult non-fiction books on the right and adult fiction books on the left respectively. On the very right corner there were a room for childern's books and on the very left corner there were a dedicated space for CDs, videos, computer games.

At present,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies several accurate features of the earlier plan, including the central tables and chairs, the reading room, the adult fiction and non-fiction areas, and the rooms for children’s books and media. However, it stops just as the present-day plan is introduced with “At present,” so it does not report any of the major changes shown, such as the new café, computer room, lecture room, information desk, or storytelling area. The overview that the library offers a wider range of facilities is relevant but remains unsupported by details about the current layout. The response is also 12 words below the required minimum. To address the task more fully, describe both plans and summarise the most significant changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a brief overview, and a paragraph describing the former layout. Spatial language such as “On the left,” “In the middle,” and “On the very right corner” helps the reader follow the description. However, the progression is incomplete because the final paragraph ends with the unfinished transition “At present,” and no comparison follows. This leaves the organisation unbalanced and the central purpose of comparing the two plans unmet. Some linking is also awkward, particularly “In the middle … on the right and … on the left respectively,” where the order of the locations and “respectively” make the relationship less clear. Complete the present-day description and group changes by area to create a clear progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “floor plan,” “facilities,” “enquiry desk,” “reading room,” and “adult non-fiction books.” These terms make the earlier layout understandable, and “dramatic changes” signals an attempt to summarise the overall transformation. However, some wording is imprecise or repetitive: “when entering from the entrance” is cumbersome, and “there were space” does not use the noun naturally. The spelling “childern’s” is also inaccurate. Because the response ends before describing the current facilities, it has limited opportunity to demonstrate a broader range of vocabulary for comparing changes. Use concise location phrases and check spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is some variety in sentence forms, including the overview clause “it is clear that there were dramatic changes” and the relative clause “where individuals could read news and magazines.” Most of the intended meaning is recoverable, but errors in agreement and articles are noticeable. For example, “there were space” should be “there was space,” while “Enquiry desk was placed” needs an article (“The enquiry desk was placed”). The sentence beginning “In the middle” also has an awkward structure, and the final “At present,” is an incomplete sentence. These issues limit control, although the basic description remains understandable. Practise checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence completion, and use a wider range of accurately controlled comparisons.

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