Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-03

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 2 drawings below demonstrates the layout of a public library 20 years ago, changes that have been made and how it is like present.

There has been an introduction of new section to the new library. and one of the sections has been enlarged.

Previously when you enter the library from the entrace there were tables and chair at the center nowadays they have been removed and the space is empty.

From the entrance to your light where there wa an enquiry desk you will find a cafe.Additionally to your left where there was a reading room with newspaper and magazines you will find a computer room

As you move close to the center east of the bulding the adult non- fiction books section has been replace with adult fiction books, information desk and self service machines,Altenatively,where there was adult fiction books you will find all reference books.

At the far end to your right it was a CD Videos and computer games section, It has been enlarged and thats where story telling activities take place. you will also find children fiction books there. To your right where there were children books you will find a lecture room.

These are the changes that have been made since 20 years ago.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the public library from twenty years ago and how it appears now, making relevant comparisons. However, some aspects of the task are developed more fully than others, and certain spatial relationships or descriptions are somewhat unclear or imprecise, such as confusing directions in phrases like 'From the entrance to your light where there wa an enquiry desk you will find a cafe'. The overview is also very brief, consisting merely of a couple of isolated sentences rather than a fully integrated summary of the overarching trends or major structural transformations. While the main changes are identified, the lack of complete clarity in specific zone transitions keeps the response at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a coherent overall arrangement to the essay, and the writer attempts to guide the reader through the floor plan chronologically or spatially from the entrance outwards. However, cohesion is often faulty or mechanical, and referencing is not always clear, leading to a somewhat disjointed reading experience. Paragraphing is underutilized, with almost the entire body of the response crammed into a single block of text following the introduction, making the progression of ideas harder to follow. Furthermore, cohesive devices are basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple directional phrases ('As you move close to...', 'At the far end to your right') without smooth logical links between sentences. Proper paragraph breaks separating the past layout from the current layout would significantly improve the overall structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common library-related terminology such as 'story telling activities', 'reference books', 'self service machines', and 'enquiry desk'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('demonstrates' instead of 'demonstrate', 'entrace', 'wa', 'Altenatively', 'story telling' as two words) and instances of awkward word choice or missing words that reveal limitations in lexical control. Although these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur regularly throughout the text. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to demonstrate greater precision in word choice, eliminate basic spelling mistakes, and incorporate a wider variety of precise verbs and adjectives suited to describing architectural and spatial changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing displays a limited mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures are frequently marred by basic grammatical errors. There are frequent issues with missing articles ('an introduction of new section'), incorrect prepositions ('to your light', 'at the center'), punctuation omissions (such as missing commas in long introductory clauses and run-on sentences), and subject-verb agreement or tense shifts ('The 2 drawings below demonstrates', 'where there wa an enquiry desk', 'has been replace'). While some sentences are straightforward and communicate meaning, the accumulation of grammatical inaccuracies causes some difficulty for the reader and prevents the response from achieving a higher level of structural control.

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