Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11
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 maps illustrates the loor plane of public library before twenty years and presently.
Overall, the central library undergoes significant development with construction of new departments like lecture room,computer roomand cafe.However, entrance of library remains at its original position.
Twenty years ago,computer games section was on the northwest corner, which is now replaced by the storytelling event with sofas located at northern and eastern wall.Children's books room was situated at northeast corner which is replaced by the lecture room and information desk lies just below that room with self service machine placed at northern wall.
Reading room was located at soth west corner, which is now become the computer room and cafe is situated at south east corner which was enquiry desk section before development.Lastly. tables and chairs which was placed in the center were permanently removed and entrance area become more broader.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the floor plan changes, such as the addition of the lecture room and cafe. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the depth of the analysis. While the main trends are identified, the description of the layout changes is somewhat rushed and lacks sufficient detail to fully satisfy the task requirements. The failure to meet the minimum word count is a significant constraint on the overall task achievement score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Twenty years ago', and 'Lastly'. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions between sentences feel abrupt. The referencing of locations is generally clear, but the lack of sufficient length prevents a more sophisticated development of ideas. Paragraphing is present, but the overall structure could be improved by better linking the comparisons between the two time periods.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'significant development', 'original position', and 'permanently removed'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'loor plane' instead of 'floor plan' and 'soth west' instead of 'south-west'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise descriptive language and ensure greater accuracy in spelling and collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'The maps illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'before twenty years' (incorrect preposition usage), and 'entrance area become more broader' (incorrect comparative form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with missing spaces after commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors indicate a lack of control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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