Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-28

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)

At a glance, the diagram shows the floor plan of a public library 20 year ago.

There is a entrance at south.There is a enquiry desk (tickets,book returns,etc.) at the right of the entrance . In the left there is reading room (newspapers and magzines). There are two round tables and chairs in the middle of the library.In the right there is adult non fiction books and at the left there are adult fiction books.If we look to the north east there are childrens books and in the west north there are cds,videos,computer games.

Now if we look to the central library today.There is main entrance from the middle of the south.Afterwards when you enter the library there is a cafe at the right and a computer room in the left.There is all refrence books above the computer room . Adult fiction books ,information desk and self service machines are in the middle of lecture room and cafe in the middle at the right side of the library. There is a fiction books room beside the lecture room. in the childrens fiction books room there are two sofas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe both the past and present layouts of the Central Library, but it falls short in terms of making comparisons and synthesising information. Instead of giving a holistic overview, the writer merely lists features location by location (e.g., 'In the left there is reading room', 'In the right there is adult non fiction books'). Furthermore, there is no concluding overview comparing the two plans to show how the library has transformed (such as the shift from a media room to a computer room, or the addition of self-service machines and a café). Therefore, the task is addressed only partially, as key comparisons are missing and ideas are under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The organisation of the text is somewhat disjointed. The response is divided into two very brief paragraphs, but the sentences within them lack logical progression and smooth transitions. The writer relies heavily on repetitive directional phrases like 'In the right', 'at the left', and 'Now if we look to...'. Paragraphing is poorly handled, as the entire description of each map is lumped together without clear categorisation of areas (e.g., separating study spaces from book collections). Referencing is also occasionally unclear, making it hard for the reader to follow the spatial layout effortlessly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, frequently reusing simple terms such as 'room', 'books', 'right', and 'left'. There are several spelling errors and lexical inaccuracies, such as 'magzines', 'refrence', 'childrens' (missing apostrophe), and unnatural phrasing like 'There is a entrance at south'. While the writer attempts some topic-specific terms from the diagram ('enquiry desk', 'self service machines', 'storytelling events'), the overall lexical range is narrow and restricted, limiting precision and failing to demonstrate flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The grammatical structures are predominantly simple sentences or repetitive existential constructions like 'There is...'. There are frequent punctuation and capitalization errors, such as missing periods between sentences ('...20 year ago.There is a entrance...'), missing commas, and run-on sentences. Complex structures are rare and mostly inaccurate or awkward (e.g., 'If we look to the north east there are childrens books and in the west north there are cds...'). Grammatical errors occur frequently and cause some distraction, though they do not completely impede overall communication.

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