Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-23

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)

If we look at the central library 20 years ago, on the left side of the entrance is a reading room where people could sit and read newspapers and magazines while on the right side of the entrance is enquiry desk where people would usually come up to buy tickets in order to issue a certain book or to return the book they issued before. In front of the entrance were the tables and chairs where people would sit alone in order to read books or for studying purposes while some people might sit there with friends in order to discuss something quietly. On the left hand side of the tables and chairs is the section of adult fiction books and on the right hand side is adult non fiction books. Moving forward at the upper left corner is a place for computer games, CDs and videos while on the upper right corner is the children's books. Now if we look at the central library now the computer room has been shifted to the left side of the entrance and on the right side is a cafe where people would go and enjoy having coffee or tea. Moving forward there used to be tables and chairs 20 years ago but now there is nothing. If we move north to the computer room is a section where all reference books are being places and above this section is a place where childrens fiction books are placed, moreover there are sofas here for storytelling events. If we look right above the cafe which was at the right hand of the entrance is self service machines where you can do anything of your choice, right above it is information desk to issue a book or to return it and above the information desk is the section of adult fiction books. At the upper right corner is a lecture room where lecture is being delivered in a quiet environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the library floor plan, comparing the past and present layouts. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary paragraph, which is essential for Task 1. The description is somewhat repetitive and relies on a sequential 'listing' approach rather than grouping information logically. While the key changes are identified, the lack of a clear structure makes it difficult for the reader to grasp the overall transformation of the library at a glance. To improve, you should provide a concise summary of the most significant changes in an introductory or concluding paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as two long, dense paragraphs. The lack of clear paragraphing makes the text feel cluttered and difficult to navigate. While you use some cohesive devices like 'moving forward' and 'moreover', the progression of ideas is mechanical. The reliance on directional language ('on the left', 'on the right', 'above') without clear transitions between the two time periods makes the comparison feel disjointed. Using more sophisticated linking phrases and breaking the text into logical paragraphs (e.g., one for the past, one for the present, and one for the summary) would significantly improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the various sections of the library. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent use of basic phrases like 'people would go', 'people would sit', and 'place for'. There are also some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'all reference books are being places' (should be 'placed') and 'do anything of your choice'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to floor plans, such as 'relocated', 'converted', 'replaced', or 'designated area'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally hinder readability. For example, 'the enquiry desk where people would usually come up to buy tickets in order to issue a certain book' is a bit clunky. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, such as 'all reference books are being places' and 'lecture is being delivered'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher level of grammatical control.

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

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