Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-15

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 4.5)

Diagrams illustrate the floor plan of a public Library 20 years ago and it also shows how it looks like today.

overall, where was the CD, videos computer games satup now there is storytelling events happen and children's fiction books are also there. Once children's books section was, now there is a new lecture room is established. Adult non fiction books we could find both side but now newly established information desk and some self service machines there with one side of adult nonfiction books and other side we can find all references books corner.

Entrance remains the same place. But where was reading room now there is computer room. where was Setup for enquiry desk for Tickets, book, restaurants now there is café.One major Development is about tables and chairs twenty years ago where we can sat in center now there is only sofas in storytelling events.

in conclusion there are some good changes

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to cover the main changes between the Central Library 20 years ago and today, but the execution is severely hindered by poor task management and limited coverage. While some modifications are noted, such as the transformation of the reading room into a computer room and the addition of self-service machines, the selection of features lacks clarity and structure. Several details are misread or awkwardly transcribed, such as referencing 'tickets, book, restaurants' (the prompt clearly stated tickets, book returns, etc.). The overview is extremely brief and informal ('in conclusion there are some good changes'), failing to adequately summarise the key overall trends. Consequently, the response addresses the task only partially and the ideas remain underdeveloped, placing it firmly in Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5

The organisation of the text is very weak, lacking clear paragraphing and a logical progression of ideas. The response is presented almost as a single continuous block of unstructured thoughts, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial comparisons between the two maps. Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, resulting in run-on clauses and a repetitive structure (e.g., repeatedly using 'where was ... now there is ...'). Referencing is frequently unclear, and the absence of appropriate transition signals prevents the information from flowing smoothly. Paragraphing is not used effectively to separate different areas of the library or to contrast past and present, leading to an overall arrangement that falls below Band 5 standards.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple, imprecise terms. Words and phrases are often awkward or incorrectly formed, such as 'satup' (set up), 'restaurants' (returns), and 'non fiction books we could find both side'. There are also frequent spelling and word-choice errors that occasionally impede communication and demand extra effort from the reader. Attempts at less common vocabulary are extremely rare and generally unsuccessful due to poor collocation and inappropriate register. The lexical range is minimally adequate for basic description, but the persistent inaccuracies restrict the score to Band 4.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical structure of the writing is heavily flawed, featuring a very limited range of sentence types. The text is dominated by broken syntax, missing prepositions, and persistent errors in tense and word order, such as 'where was the CD, videos computer games satup now there is storytelling events happen'. Complex sentence structures are attempted, but they are almost invariably faulty and ungrammatical (e.g., 'Once children's books section was, now there is a new lecture room is established'). Punctuation is also neglected, with missing capitalisation at the start of sentences and misused commas. These frequent errors cause significant difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

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

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