Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-30
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 that took place in the floor plan of a public library over a period of 20 years, from the past to the present.
Overall, the library underwent significant changes including a cafe, an information desk and the self-service machines. While, entrance remaines unchnaged. Several new facilities such as computer room, sofa and a lecture room were added. However, some existing features like tables and chairs were removed.
Twenty years ago, the central library consisted an enquiry desk, children's books and the reading room. An enquiry desk was located in the right corner of the entrance. While, chidren's books were situated far away from the entrance to the right side. In addition, the reading room was located in the left corner of the entrance.
At present, some changes took place considerably. children's books room was changed to lecture room, while tables and chairs were removed. cafe were constructed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the library floor plan over the 20-year period, noting the addition of facilities such as a computer room, café, lecture room, and self-service machines, as well as the removal of tables and chairs. An overview is provided in the second paragraph. However, the response is relatively brief and lacks detailed comparisons. Certain spatial descriptions contain inaccuracies; for example, the student states that the enquiry desk was located in the 'right corner of the entrance' 20 years ago, whereas the visual data shows it in the bottom-right area. Additionally, the body paragraphs trail off and are incomplete, leaving several areas of the library unmentioned. Consequently, this performance aligns with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is organised into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is an attempt to use basic cohesive devices such as 'While', 'In addition', and 'At present'. However, progression is somewhat disrupted by incomplete sentences and disjointed paragraph structures. For instance, the final paragraph consists of fragmented thoughts like 'cafe were constructed' without smooth transitions. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and logical flow between sentences is limited. Overall arrangement indicates problems with cohesion and referencing, supporting a Band 5 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic summary, incorporating task-specific terms such as 'floor plan', 'facilities', 'computer room', and 'enquiry desk'. However, there is a very limited range of less common lexical items, and word choices are frequently repetitive or simplistic. Furthermore, there are multiple spelling and morphological errors, such as 'remanes' instead of 'remains', 'unchnaged' instead of 'unchanged', and 'chidren's' instead of 'children's'. These noticeable errors and limited lexical flexibility place the response firmly at Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic past/present tense constructions. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('entrance remaines unchnaged', 'cafe were constructed'), missing articles ('consisted an enquiry desk'), and incorrect prepositions. Attempts at more complex forms are absent or flawed. While meaning is generally recoverable despite the errors, the frequency of inaccuracies and restricted structural range reflect a Band 5 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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