Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-07

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 two maps illustrate the changes in the layout of the Central Library over a period of 20 years. There are many changes in it.

Overall, the library has been significantly modernized with the addition of new facilities such as a cafe, computer room and a lecture room. Some sections be replaced by other locations. Entrance has remained in the same position.

Twenty years ago, there were two large tables with chairs in the centre of the Library. At the right corner of the Library, there was an Enquiry desk. After that there were some non-fiction books for Adult and children's books. At the left side of the Library, there was a reading room with newspapers and magazines. After that some fiction books and videos and games for children.

In today's Library, a cafe and a computer room be renovated on the right and left side respectively. In the north west side sofas included in storytelling events. At the right top corner there was a new lecture room. There was an informative desk with addition of self-service machines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall change: the library has been modernised, new facilities have been added, and the entrance remains in the same place. You also report several relevant features from both plans, including the former central tables, the new café and computer room, and the storytelling and lecture rooms. However, some important changes are omitted or unclear. For example, the former adult non-fiction area becomes the adult fiction section, while the former adult fiction area becomes reference books; the response does not explain these changes. The description of the old layout also misplaces or confuses some items, including the children’s books and media. To make the summary more complete, compare the main areas systematically and state what replaced each one.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the earlier and current layouts. This helps the reader follow the time comparison. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to track. In the earlier-layout paragraph, repeated use of “After that” does not clearly show whether you mean a nearby position or a later point in time. The phrase “At the left side” also begins a new location without a consistent route through the plan. Organise each description by moving from one side of the library to the other, and use precise location links such as “in the north-west corner” or “along the right-hand side.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing plans, including “layout,” “addition,” “replaced,” “position,” and “self-service machines.” These terms show an adequate range for the task, and the main facilities are generally identifiable. However, some word choices are imprecise or repetitive: “changes in it” is vague, “After that” is used for spatial relationships, and “informative desk” does not accurately name the “information desk.” “Renovated” is also not the best description of facilities newly introduced into the plan. Aim for more precise map language and accurate labels, especially when distinguishing book sections and facilities. This would make the comparisons clearer and reduce ambiguity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use a mixture of simple statements and some longer structures, and the reader can usually understand the main points. However, errors in verb forms and sentence construction are frequent enough to make several descriptions awkward. For example, “Some sections be replaced” needs a correctly formed passive, such as “Some sections were replaced,” while “a cafe and a computer room be renovated” has the same verb-form problem. The sentence “After that some fiction books and videos and games for children” is incomplete and lacks a main verb. There are also article and number issues, as in “Entrance has remained” and “an informative desk.” Practise accurate past and present passive forms and ensure each sentence has a complete clause.

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