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 map illustrates the changes to the Library from 20 years ago to the present.
Overall, there were significant changes in building setup and the infrastructure of the Central library over the period.
In the past, CDs, videos, computer games were replaced with the storytelling events and children's fiction books that were relocated to the northeast corner of the library. Children's books were replaced from lecture room that were northwest corner of the library. The tables and chairs were eliminated that are centre to the library and front of the entrance, and adult non-fiction books were replaced with the information desk.
Similarly, the reading books were replaced to the computer room that were northeast corner of the library. Moreover, the Enquiry desk was replaced to the cafe that were southwest corner of the library, and adult fiction books were replaced to All reference books.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response is under the 144-word minimum requirement (144 words vs 150 words), which impacts the completeness of the task. While the student attempts to describe the main changes between the maps, the summary contains several factual confusions regarding locations and transformations (e.g., stating that CDs and videos were 'replaced with storytelling events' when the layout shows room allocations changing, or confusing past and present features). The overview mentions significant changes, but the lack of precise reporting and the under-length penalty restrict the score to Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response attempts a logical progression by starting with an introduction and overview, followed by spatial details of the changes. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped (the body consists of only two long, dense paragraphs). Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes confusingly (e.g., repetitive use of 'were replaced with' and 'were replaced to'), making the spatial relationships difficult to follow. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the pronoun use and directional markers like 'that were northwest corner'. Overall arrangement shows some basic organization but lacks smooth progression.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is somewhat repetitive and basic, heavily relying on phrases like 'were replaced' throughout the response. There are also lexical collocation errors, such as 'replaced to the computer room' instead of 'relocated to' or 'converted into'. While terms related to the library layout (e.g., 'storytelling events', 'enquiry desk', 'reference books') demonstrate a minimally adequate range for the task, noticeable inaccuracies and awkward phrasing restrict the score to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and prepositional phrases is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'Children's books were replaced from lecture room that were northwest corner' and 'the reading books were replaced to the computer room that were northeast corner', which lead to awkward phrasing and occasionally obscure meaning. Relative clauses are mishandled ('that were northwest corner'). These persistent errors place the writing firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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