Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05
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 5.5)
The diagram demonstrates the transformative appearance of a particular library between today and 20 years ago.
Overall, it is clearly visible that several modification happened over the two decades. There are some amenities replaced with more structured and automation services.
As starting from entrance area, at the right side where enquiry desk for tickets, book returns were stations, this area now replaced by a cafe. Adult fiction books, information desk including self-service machines is installed where the adult non-fiction books section were 20 years ago. Furthermore, A new addition lecture room is placed where children's books section was decades ago.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Because the response is only 100 words, the analysis of the library floor plan is incomplete. While you identified some key changes, such as the addition of the cafe and the lecture room, you missed several other significant features shown in the diagram, such as the relocation of the computer area and the changes to the seating arrangements. To improve, you must ensure you describe all major changes and provide a more comprehensive overview to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You use basic cohesive devices like 'As starting from' and 'Furthermore', but the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between the amenities and the specific areas is not fully articulated. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus that contributes to the overall summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher score. You use terms like 'transformative appearance' and 'modification', which are appropriate, but there is some awkward phrasing, such as 'where enquiry desk for tickets, book returns were stations'. The use of 'automation services' is slightly imprecise in this context. To improve, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to describing floor plans and spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'converted', 'partitioned', or 'situated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'several modification happened' should be 'several modifications happened', and 'A new addition lecture room' is grammatically incorrect. Additionally, 'where the adult non-fiction books section were' should use the singular 'was'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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