Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-20
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)
Provided maps demonstrate the floor plan of central library, how it looked before 20 years ago and present day.
Overall, there are significant changes in 20 years, game children books reading room and enquiry desk replaced by children fiction books lecture room computer room and cafe
Twenty years ago library was divided into many section top left area was CDs, videos and computer games. While children's books section was located into right top side. Adult fiction books occupied middle-left side wherever adults non-fiction books were on the middle-right side and top - right side children books section was there. There was a reading room for newspapers and magazines in the bottom left-corner and an enquiry room on the bottom-right side and tables and chairs situated central area of the library
Today the layout totally different. The former children's room has been converted into lecture room, while children's fiction books and storytelling events with sofa now it located top- right side. The area of adult fiction books self-service machines and information desk at middle right side. All refrence books placed into the middle left-side. reading room was replaced by computer room. In right bottom-side cafe is opening
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the floor plan changes, identifying key transformations such as the conversion of the reading room and the addition of a cafe. However, the overview is slightly confusing; it lists specific items rather than summarizing the broader trends of modernization and space reallocation. Some details are inaccurate or poorly described, such as the location of the adult fiction books and the reference section. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview captures the 'big picture'—such as the shift from a traditional book-focused layout to a more multifunctional space—and verify the spatial descriptions against the source image to ensure accuracy.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the past to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas between sentences, and some transitions are abrupt. For instance, the transition between the description of the past and the present could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track the movement of specific library sections. Improving the variety of linking phrases would significantly enhance the flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'game children books reading room' and 'all refrence books placed into the middle left-side'. The spelling of 'refrence' is incorrect. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'converted' and 'layout', the range is limited. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise verbs and nouns to describe spatial changes and ensure correct spelling of common academic terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in bottom left-corner'), incorrect preposition usage, and subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'reading room was replaced'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and incorrect hyphenation. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for articles, prepositions, and verb tense consistency would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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