Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19

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 6.5)

The diagrams illustrate the layout of the Central Library 20 years ago and at present.

Overall, the central library underwent many significant changes. The enquiry desk was replaced by a cafe. In addition, reading room was converted into a computer room, while tables and chairs in the center of library were removed and sofas were added to the children's fiction books area.

An analysis of the image reveals that the northwest side of the library, which previously contained CDs, videos and computer games, was replaced by an area for story telling events and children's fiction books, with two sofas. Moreover, the adult fiction books were replaced by all reference books. Just below this area, the reading room which contained newspapers and magazines, was converted into a computer room.

From the image, it is evident that the northeast side of the library contained the children's books section which has now been replaced by a lecture room. In addition, the adult non-fiction books were replaced by adult fiction books with an information desk and three self-service machines. Furthermore, the enquiry desk, where people could book tickets, returns were replaced by a cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the floor plan comparison. You successfully identify the major transformations, such as the conversion of the enquiry desk into a cafe and the reading room into a computer room. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant changes. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in reporting the locations; for instance, you describe the children's books section as being in the northeast, whereas it is clearly in the northwest in the original layout. Additionally, some descriptions of the current layout are slightly confusing, such as the mention of 'adult fiction books with an information desk' which could be more precisely linked to the specific zones. Overall, the response is well-structured and addresses the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information by location. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Moreover,' 'From the image, it is evident that,' and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through the changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different sections of the library. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, although the transition between the description of the northwest and the adult fiction area in the second paragraph could be slightly more refined to improve the flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'converted,' 'replaced,' 'layout,' and 'significant changes.' The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for a report on a diagram. There are no major spelling errors, and the terminology used for library features is correct. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or varied verbs to describe the spatial changes, such as 'relocated,' 'transformed,' or 'superseded,' rather than relying primarily on 'replaced' and 'converted.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled well. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'tables and chairs in the center of library' (missing 'the') and 'adult fiction books were replaced by all reference books' (the use of 'all' is slightly awkward here). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. You show good control over passive voice constructions, which is essential for describing changes in a process or layout.

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

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