Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-26
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 illustration gives information about the reading room floor plan of 20 years ago and today how it looks. Overall, several new places have added in today library floor plan.
It is quite evident from the diagram that the floor plan of 20 years ago. Library had divided into several section. Firstly, children books section was develop in the north east side of the library and adult non-fiction books was set in front of this. Tickets and book return desk were set in the south east side. Main entrance in the south side, newspapers and magazines room was set on the left of the entrance. Adult fiction books was build in the west side and CD, videos and computer game was set on the left side of adult fiction books.
Meanwhile, this also gives information about the today looks of this library. Several more places have added in this library like Storytelling events, Lecture room and cafe. Self-service machines, information desk and adult fiction books are set on the right side of the Cafe and all reference books set on the west side.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the main features of the library floor plan comparing the past and present layouts. However, the overview is extremely brief and basic ('several new places have added in today library floor plan'). While the student identifies several spatial changes (such as the children's books, adult non-fiction, and new rooms like the cafe and lecture room), the report lacks a fully developed comparison and misses several key transformations, such as the removal of tables from the center and the reconfiguration of the entrance area. The description feels somewhat disjointed and fails to present a fully cohesive picture of the overall changes. Therefore, it meets the basic requirements for Task Achievement but falls short of higher bands due to under-developed reporting and a lack of a clear, comprehensive overview.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is organised into three paragraphs: an introduction, a past description, and a present description. However, logical progression is weak. The transition phrases used ('Meanwhile, this also gives information') are unnatural and mechanical. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the paragraphing does not adequately separate the complex spatial relationships of the two diagrams. Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, leading to a choppy reading experience. Although the text has a discernible beginning, middle, and end, the overall structural cohesion remains basic and limited.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used throughout the essay is very basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'gives information about', 'several new places have added', and 'set on the right side' demonstrate a limited range. There are several noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'today looks of this library' instead of 'the library today' or 'current appearance', and 'places have added' instead of 'facilities have been added'. While the language is minimally adequate to convey basic spatial positions, the frequent lexical errors and lack of less-common vocabulary restrict the score to this band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The essay displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most sentences are simple or attempt complex forms that result in noticeable errors, such as 'today how it looks' and 'Library had divided into several section'. There are also persistent issues with passive voice formation ('books was develop', 'Adult fiction books was build') and prepositions. These frequent grammatical errors cause some difficulty for the reader and demonstrate poor control over tense and voice consistency.
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