Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-01
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 5.5)
The given charts illustrate the information about the layout of central library 20 years ago and how it looks nowadays after redevelopment.
overall, there have been several changes taken place like enquiry desk and a reading room have been converted into a computer room and a cafe. Entrance has been in the same place.
To start with, 20 years ago, entrance was situated in the south direction. On the left side of the entrance reading room was constructed opposite to enquiry desk. In the north-east corner, the childrens book room was located. In front of the childrens room CDs, videos and a computer room was situated and chairs and tables were located in the centre of the library.
Moving further, nowadays, ther are several changes has taken place. CDs, videos and a computer games and a childrens books room have been replaced into childrens fiction books and lecture room. The Enquiry desk have been removed and cafe has been built. In the centre of the library tables and chairs have been removed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main parts of the task by attempting to outline the key changes between the two floor plans. However, some aspects of the visual data are misreported or confused; for instance, the text claims that 'CDs, videos and a computer games and a childrens books room have been replaced into childrens fiction books and lecture room', which does not fully capture the actual rearrangement shown in the visual. The overview provided in the second paragraph mentions a couple of alterations and the entrance location, but it lacks sufficient breadth to summarise all major global changes effectively. Ideas tend to be somewhat limited and lack full extension, leaving certain areas under-developed and requiring clearer reporting of spatial relationships and transformations over the twenty-year period.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the information chronologically, starting with an introduction and overview, moving to the past layout, and finishing with the present layout. Paragraphing is used to separate these sections adequately, fulfilling the requirements of the lower band fully while exhibiting elements of the next band through logical sequencing. However, cohesive devices are at times mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of transitional phrases like 'To start with' and 'Moving further'. Referencing is generally functional, but the progression between sentences occasionally feels disjointed, which prevents the essay from achieving a more fluid and sophisticated level of cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey basic library features such as 'entrance', 'enquiry desk', 'reading room', and 'tables and chairs'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'redevelopment' and 'converted', but these are accompanied by lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'have been taken place' and 'replaced into' instead of 'replaced by' or 'converted into'. Spelling and word-form control are generally acceptable and do not seriously impede communication, but the limited range and occasional unnatural collocations restrict the vocabulary score to this band level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing displays a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, but grammatical control is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in tense usage, passive voice construction, and article use, such as 'charts illustrate the information about the layout of central library', 'there have been several changes taken place', 'entrance was situated', and 'ther are several changes has taken place'. Punctuation is also erratic, notably seen in the uncapitalised 'overall' at the start of the second paragraph. These frequent errors in basic and moderately complex structures cause occasional difficulty for the reader and reflect a need for tighter control over grammatical accuracy.
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