Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-25

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 demonstrates some changes that were made to a public library within last 20 years.

Overall,It is clear that a number of major modifications were made to the library. These inludes relocating computer room and adult fication books; added a new cafe, lecture room; renovated some facalities; installed some new self-service machines and so on.

20 years ago the library had some seating arrangements at middle of the library which is now removed; what is more, computer room was at the top left corner, now has been relocated and now it is at the left bottom corner; however, children's books room also changed took place to the oposite room also added some sofas and arranged a storytelling events corner; though, the children room now turned into lecture room.

There used to ba a reading room at the bottom left corner now iturned into computer room. A new cafe has been added to the library at right side of the entrance, which used to be information desk. Although adult books both fictionals and non-fictionals were available, now-a-days only adult fiction books are available; at the middle of right side and all reference books took it's fictional books place which has been recently added.

Some new facalities has been added, three new self-served machines has been installed near to cafe and information desk take place between machines and adult fiction books. No change has made to the entrance.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the library's transformation, such as the relocation of the computer room and the addition of the cafe. However, the description is occasionally confusing due to imprecise spatial references (e.g., 'at the middle of right side'). While you cover the key changes, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview that synthesises the information effectively. The summary in the second paragraph is a list of changes rather than a cohesive report. To improve, ensure you group features logically (e.g., structural changes vs. functional changes) and use precise directional language to help the reader visualise the floor plan.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'now' and 'also'. Some sentences are disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel slightly fragmented. For example, the transition between the description of the children's room and the lecture room is abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'relocating', 'renovated', and 'self-service machines'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and spelling errors, such as 'fication' instead of 'fiction', 'facalities' instead of 'facilities', and 'self-served' instead of 'self-service'. These errors are noticeable but do not fully impede communication. To reach a higher band, focus on accurate spelling and more precise collocations, such as using 'non-fiction' correctly and avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'These inludes', 'Some new facalities has been added'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Additionally, punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and periods. While the meaning remains generally clear, these persistent errors demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will help improve your score.

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

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