Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-12
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 picture illustrates the information about the fllor structure of a public library 20 years ago and how it is now. At a glance, the tables and chairs are removed and sofa's are added after the two decades.
Firstly, before 20 years it looks like, on the right side of the library it was a children's room and now it turns to lecture room at present. Afterthat, an adult non-fiction books was their and now it is refurnished to adult fiction book, information desk is also added and self service machines.
moreover enqiry desk is removed and it is now decorated with cafe.
on the other hand, left side there were CD's videos, computer games and in the middle adult fuction books were kept and connected to the entrance it was reading room was their. Afterwards, it was recounsil with storytelling events and in middle all refernce books is kept and last computer room is redeveloped.
Overall, all rooms are renovated but door of all the rooms are as it is and entrance is as same as previous.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to cover the main features of the library's layout from 20 years ago to the present day. An overview is provided at the beginning, stating that tables and chairs were removed and sofas were added. However, the details are somewhat confused, and the spatial relationships between the various rooms are difficult to follow. For instance, stating that adult non-fiction books were there and now refurnished to adult fiction book misses some of the structural nuances shown in the prompt. While all parts of the task are addressed, the lack of clarity in reporting specific transformations and comparisons prevents the response from achieving a higher band score. A more systematic approach to contrasting the past and present layouts would improve task fulfillment significantly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The response is divided into paragraphs, but the overall logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is frequently mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Firstly, before 20 years it looks like' and 'Afterthat'. Referencing is unclear in places, making it hard to connect the descriptions of the left and right sides of the library to the actual diagram layout. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within the paragraphs is faulty, with disjointed sentences strung together. While there is a basic attempt to structure the comparison between past and present, the overall flow lacks the clear logical organisation required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, with several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'fllor', 'sofa's', 'recounsil', and 'refernce'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'refurnished', 'renovated', and 'self service machines', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in collocation and form. The range of vocabulary is minimally adequate for the task, but lexical inaccuracies occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To improve, the student needs to focus on correct spelling and expand their repertoire of functional vocabulary for describing architectural changes and spatial layouts.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The text contains a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic compound structures. Attempts at complex or multi-clause sentences are frequently faulty, as seen in awkward constructions like 'before 20 years it looks like, on the right side of the library it was a children's room and now it turns to lecture room at present.' Grammatical errors are frequent throughout the response, including issues with tense consistency, prepositions ('before 20 years' instead of 'twenty years ago'), and subject-verb agreement ('all refernce books is kept'). These errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, although the general meaning remains partially retrievable.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.