Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-02

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 5.0)

The diagram illustrate the changes of the floor of a public library between 20 years ago and today.

Overall, the figure shows multiple changes during the 20 years. Including several facilities in the new central library, the library also removed and added new features into the structure of the building.

The old library was containing 6 facilities with tables & chairs in the center of the library. starting with the right side of the building, there is children's books which now replaced with the lecture room situated in the top. Moving to the center of the right side which is the interesting part, the library divided the place to include three facilities adult fiction books, information desk and three self-service machines, although it was used for the adult non-fiction books only. ending with the last facility in the right side, the library is using

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Furthermore, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('the library is using'). While you attempted to identify some changes, the description is fragmented and lacks a comprehensive overview of the floor plan's transformation. To improve, ensure you complete the task by describing all major areas of the diagram and provide a clear, balanced summary of the key differences. Because the response is unfinished and under-length, it does not fully address the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a logical structure due to its incomplete nature. While there is an attempt at an introduction and a body paragraph, the abrupt ending prevents the development of a coherent argument or description. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical way, such as 'starting with' and 'moving to', but the lack of completion makes the overall progression unclear. To improve, focus on planning your response to ensure all sections are fully developed and linked with a variety of cohesive devices, ensuring the essay reaches a natural conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic description but lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'the interesting part' are too informal for an academic report. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'the library divided the place', which is imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should use more specific terminology related to floor plans and spatial descriptions, such as 'reconfigured', 'allocated', or 'transformed'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you describe the changes more accurately and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors that hinder the flow of the text. For example, 'The diagram illustrate' should be 'illustrates', and 'The old library was containing' is better expressed as 'The old library contained'. The sentence structure is repetitive, relying heavily on simple constructions. There are also errors in tense consistency and verb usage. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and using a wider variety of complex sentence structures. Proofreading for basic errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms will also help improve your accuracy.

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

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