Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-31

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 previous floor layout of a public library two decades ago and it's current structure.

Overall, it is evident the central library underwent significant transformation with the introduction of a lecture room, a cafe, and sections for different books and events.

Regarding the structure of central library twenty years ago, the top left section consists of cds, videos and computer games, it was followed by adult fiction books shelves and below this section is an area for reading room ( newspapers & magazines). Meanwhile, the top right area consist of children's books, below it was a room for adult non-fiction rooms and south of this room was a section for the enquiry desk ( tickets, book returns e.t.c.) whereas tables and chairs were situated at the center of the library.

Turning to the present layout, games at the top left room have been removed and replaced by two sofa at corners, and children's fiction books at the buttom, adjacent to this room are shelves for all reference books and next to it is a computer room. However, children books has been converted to a lecture room and the room below it has been divided into various units with existing adult fiction books at the apex, adjacently followed by a information desk and a unit for self service machines. Furthermore, a cafe has been built replacing the area used for enquiry desk and the entrance still remains at the south side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the floor plan, including the major structural changes. You successfully identified the addition of the lecture room, cafe, and the reorganization of book sections. The overview is clear and highlights the significant transformation of the library. However, the description of the present layout is slightly confusing in places, particularly when describing the location of the children's fiction books and the reference shelves. To improve, ensure that spatial relationships are described with more precision, as some parts of the description are difficult to follow without looking at the diagram. Overall, you have provided a solid summary of the main trends and changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs for the past and present layouts. You use some cohesive devices such as 'meanwhile', 'turning to', and 'furthermore' to link ideas. However, the flow within the second body paragraph is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as when you mention 'adjacent to this room' without clearly defining which room is the primary reference point. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence clearly connects to the previous one will help achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'transformation', 'layout', and 'converted'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'at the apex' (which is not the standard way to describe a floor plan) and 'two sofa' (which should be plural). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to spatial descriptions, such as 'situated in the north-east corner', 'parallel to', or 'occupying the space formerly used for'. The current vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'children books has been converted' (should be 'have been') and 'two sofa' (should be 'two sofas'). There are also punctuation errors, such as the missing apostrophe in 'it's' (should be 'its') and inconsistent use of commas. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and pluralization will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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