Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The map diagram illustrate the floor plan of a public library which name is Central library how it looks 20 years ago and how it looks now.
Overall, it is clear that the area became more developed and accessible. The most noticeable change was the construction of all the rooms. Another significant change was the removal of Tables & chairs, Adult fiction books and Adult non-fiction books.
Games room was replaced by Children's fiction books rooms which are renovated by the sofas and it use for storytelling events. Children's books was converted into Lecture room which is located to the north-eastern conner. The noticeable change was the remove the tables & chairs in the centre area.
Adult non-fiction books area was transformed into adult fiction books, information desk and self-service machines. Enquiry desk was renovated into cafeteria. Adult fiction books which is located in west of the library for 20 years ago and it was renovated into all reference books.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the floor plan changes, such as the conversion of the Games room and the removal of seating areas. However, the report lacks precision in describing the spatial layout. For example, stating that 'all the rooms' were constructed is inaccurate, as some areas were merely repurposed. The description of the changes is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the library's functional shift. While the main trends are identified, the lack of specific detail regarding the relative positions of the new facilities makes the summary less effective. To improve, ensure that the comparison between the two time periods is more systematic and accurate regarding the specific labels provided in the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'The noticeable change was...' and 'Another significant change was...'. The progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'which name is Central library how it looks 20 years ago'. While there is a logical attempt to group information, the transitions between sentences are not always smooth, and the referencing (e.g., 'which are renovated by the sofas') is unclear, making the flow of information somewhat disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'map diagram' (it is a floor plan), 'renovated by the sofas' (which is semantically unclear), and 'conner' (spelling error). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying heavily on simple descriptors like 'transformed' and 'renovated'. To achieve a higher score, you should use more precise terminology related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'replaced by', 'expanded', or 'partitioned', and ensure that spelling is accurate throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The map diagram illustrate', 'Children's books was converted') and incorrect prepositional usage ('in west of the library'). There are also issues with article usage and relative clauses, such as 'which name is Central library'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and correct article usage will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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