Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-15
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 diagrams illustrate the floor plan of a library 20 years ago and how it is today.
Overall, the library is more commercialized with added facilities such as a cafe, self service machines etc now than it was 20 years ago.
The entrance to the library remains the same at the south. The reading room and enquiry desk which were previously located in the left and right side of the entrance are redesigned and made into a computer room and a cafe.
The tables and chairs which were situated in the middle of the library are removed now. The adult fiction and non-fiction books which filled the eastern and western part of the library are now remodeled into all reference books section and the information desk which has a self service machine to its south and an adult fiction book to its north.
20 years ago, CDs, videos, computer games section were location in the north west of the room, now it is replaced as a seating room with two sofas at the end corner for story telling events and consists of children fiction books in the south of the room. The children books which was in the north west of the library is made into a lecture room today.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have successfully identified the main features of the library floor plans and made relevant comparisons between the two time periods. You covered the key changes, such as the conversion of the reading room and the relocation of specific sections. To reach a higher band, ensure that your overview is more comprehensive; while you mentioned the library is 'more commercialized,' you could briefly highlight the shift from a purely study-focused space to a multi-functional community hub. Additionally, ensure your descriptions of locations are precise, as some directional references were slightly confusing, such as the description of the adult fiction section.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized, moving from a general overview to specific details about the layout changes. You used some cohesive devices to link ideas, such as '20 years ago' and 'now.' However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the report is contained in one large paragraph. Breaking this into smaller, thematic paragraphs—for example, one for the entrance/central area and one for the peripheral sections—would significantly improve the flow and readability. Additionally, some transitions between sentences feel slightly mechanical, and clearer signposting would help the reader follow the spatial changes more easily.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'commercialized,' 'remodeled,' and 'facilities.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'location in the north west' should be 'located in the north-west,' and 'made into a lecture room' is a bit simplistic. To improve, try to use more precise verbs for spatial changes, such as 'transformed,' 'converted,' or 'reconfigured.' Your spelling is generally accurate, but the vocabulary remains somewhat functional rather than sophisticated, which limits the score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'The children books which was' (should be 'were') and 'in the left and right side' (should be 'on'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'now it is replaced as a seating room.' While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the information, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency of the text. Focusing on consistent verb agreement and correct prepositional phrases will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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