Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-05
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 diagram compare the layout of public library 20 year ago and how it looks now.
Overall, the things are completely different many old things are replaced, while many new and better things are setup in the library.
To start with, 20 years ago the layout of library was very well desinged, while you entered the library there was enquiry desk in the right corner from where you can return books and get information. Likewise in the left corner of the entrance there was a reading room where newspapers and magazines were kept,and opposite the reading room on the other side of wall there was a romm where cds, videos and computer gamems were kept. Moreover, between reading room and cds there was a section of adult friction books.
On the other hand, floor map of todays library is completely modernized. while, entering the library their is computer room on left side, and beside the computer room their is a cafe on other side. Moreover now there is lecture room on the right corner opposite cafe, and information desk is available between cafe and lectuer room. Furthermore, there is achildren fiction books on the other side of computer room where two sofas are installed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task only partially. While the writer attempts to compare the past and present layouts of the central library, the selection of features is incomplete and includes several inaccuracies regarding spatial locations compared to the source data. For instance, the enquiry desk location twenty years ago and the current positions of the café and lecture room are misreported or confused. Furthermore, the overview provided in the second paragraph is overly vague ('the things are completely different many old things are replaced'), failing to succinctly highlight the most striking overall changes, such as the general modernization and the conversion of spaces for children and technology. Ideas remain somewhat limited and under-developed, preventing a clearer presentation of the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the essay into an introduction, overview, past layout, and present layout. Paragraphing is used to separate these ideas. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' helps guide the reader through the text, but referencing is occasionally unclear, and transitions between sentences can feel abrupt. Progression is somewhat hampered by the lack of smooth links between individual spatial descriptions, leading to a listing effect rather than a flowing comparative narrative.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less-common vocabulary related to maps and buildings, such as 'modernized', 'layout', and 'installed', but this is accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, word form, and spelling. Examples include 'friction' instead of 'fiction', 'romm' (room), 'gamems' (games), and 'achildren' (children's). These lexical inaccuracies and spelling slips are frequent enough to cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a restricted range of vocabulary suitable for describing spatial changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer demonstrates a limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex forms that are often faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors involving subject-verb agreement, missing articles, and incorrect prepositions, such as 'The diagram compare' instead of 'compares', 'floor map of todays library' missing articles and apostrophes, and 'their is' instead of 'there is'. Punctuation is also weak, particularly with run-on sentences and comma splices, such as '...kept,and opposite...'. These frequent errors require the reader to decode the meaning and can cause difficulty, though basic communication is generally maintained.
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