Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-18

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)

Both images shows that the floor of public library twenty years ago and today map. In twenty years ago, the rack of children's books on the right side of the wall. In the center of library keep tabels and chairs for vistiors. The tickets and book returns counter was the below the reight side of the wall. Reading room was the left side of the wall. The CDs and computer games was the upper side of the wall.

Now the map of library has completely change. Adding some extra resourses like lecture room, reference books room and cafe. The location of cafe is the below right side of the library. The lecture room is the upper right side of the library. In the center of lecture room and cafe have information desk and self-service machines. On the left below side have computer room and upper left side have children's fiction books room. In the center of computer room and children's fiction books room have the reference books room.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by describing the changes in the library floor plan. However, the overview is missing; a successful response must highlight the most significant trends, such as the complete reconfiguration of the space and the addition of modern facilities. While you identified specific features, the description lacks a clear summary of the overall transformation. Furthermore, the spatial descriptions are sometimes imprecise (e.g., 'below the right side'), which makes it difficult for the reader to visualize the layout. To improve, ensure you provide a clear overview in the introduction and use more precise directional language to compare the two time periods effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, which is appropriate for a report. However, the progression of ideas within the paragraphs is somewhat mechanical. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures to list locations, which lacks the cohesive devices needed to link ideas smoothly. For example, the transition between describing the past and the present is abrupt. Using linking words such as 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'subsequently' would help guide the reader through the changes more effectively. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships between the different rooms.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'side', 'room', and 'center'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise vocabulary related to architectural layouts or changes (e.g., 'relocated', 'replaced', 'converted', 'expanded'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety restricts the quality of the report. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more descriptive language to characterize the changes, such as 'the area was repurposed' or 'the layout underwent a significant transformation'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of vocabulary is insufficient for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage. For instance, 'Both images shows' should be 'Both images show', and 'keep tabels' should be 'contained tables'. You also struggle with prepositions, such as 'was the below the reight side', which is ungrammatical. The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with very few attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and a correctly conjugated verb. Reducing these frequent errors is essential for improving clarity and achieving a higher band score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.