Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-19

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 illustrations compare the floor plan of a public library between 20 years ago and today.

At a glance, it is clear that several changes have been made. These include renovating the existing areas, introducing new features, adding new genres of books, and introducing a new information desk and self-service machines.

Looking at the diagram in detail, the children's books zone on the northeastern edge has been replaced by a completely new lecture room. The enquire desk on the southwestern corner has been demolished to make a way for a new cafe. Meanwhile, the adult non-finction books zone in the eastern side between the children's books zone and enquiry desk has been moved close to the newly renovated lecture room to make sufficient space for information desk and multiple self-service machines for the visitors.

Regarding other changes, the northwestern corner for the CDs, videos, and computer games has been completely cleared. In this place, seating facilities for storytelling events and Children's fiction books zone have been introduced. The reading room on the southwestern corner is now used as a computer room. The adult fiction books zone on the western side has been replaced by all reference books. Meanwhile, the tables and chairs in the centre has been cleared. However, the entrence gate on the south side has been preserved.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The candidate successfully addresses all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of the public library floor plan from 20 years ago and comparing them with the current layout. An effective overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key transformations such as the introduction of self-service machines, new zones, and structural renovations. Key features are accurately reported and supported with spatial references, such as noting that the children's books zone was replaced by a lecture room and that the reading room is now a computer room. However, there are a few minor locational inaccuracies; for instance, the original enquiry desk was on the southeastern (not southwestern) corner, and the original children's books zone was in the northwest rather than the northeast. Overall, the information is well-selected and reported clearly, meeting the criteria for a high band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory statement, followed by a concise overview paragraph, and then moves into detailed body paragraphs comparing specific sections of the library. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate general observations from specific spatial changes. Cohesive devices such as 'At a glance', 'Looking at the diagram in detail', and 'Meanwhile' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the comparisons. Reference words are handled well, ensuring that the transitions between the past layout and the present map remain clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suited to describing spatial changes and diagrams. Functional academic phrases like 'floor plan', 'replaces', 'demolished', 'renovated', and 'preserved' are used appropriately. There are some less common lexical items attempted, such as 'sufficient space' and 'seating facilities'. However, a few lexical and spelling errors occur, such as 'enquire desk' instead of 'enquiry desk', 'non-finction' instead of 'non-fiction', and 'entrence' instead of 'entrance'. These minor slips slightly detract from precision, but communication is never impeded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The candidate demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating passive structures effectively (e.g., 'has been replaced', 'has been demolished', 'have been introduced'). There is good control over complex sentence patterns, such as 'Meanwhile, the adult non-fiction books zone... has been moved close to the newly renovated lecture room to make sufficient space for information desk...'. While there are a few minor mechanical errors, such as missing articles ('to make a way for a new cafe' and 'for information desk') and the aforementioned spelling issues, the majority of sentences are grammatically sound and clearly convey the intended meaning.

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