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 layouts illustrate how is the floor plan of a public library 20 year back and how it looks today.

Overall, it is evident that the lots of changes are made in library layout plan and new factilities are added such as cafe, lecture room, storytelling events and self-service machines.

The central library has entrance at the middle of front and previously had tables and chairs in middle of library follwing the entrance, which later removed. On right side of the entrance equiry desk was present which converted into the cafe, whereas, on the left side reading room was transformed into the computer room. Then, all reference books are replaced by adult fiction books which are kept into the opposite direction besides the information desk.

Moreover, lecture room is now used as a sapce for children's books. The new self service machines are also placed in the library on the back side of cafe area. The CDs, videos and gaming area is now converted into the place for storytelling events and some children's fiction books are display on one side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall change and mention several important additions, including the café, lecture room, storytelling area and self-service machines. However, some key comparisons are inaccurate: the lecture room was created in the former children’s-books room, not used for children’s books, and the storytelling area is in the former CDs/videos room. The statement that all reference books were replaced by adult fiction also reverses the plan: the former adult non-fiction area became the reference-book area, while adult fiction moved to the right side. The overview is relevant but broad, and several changes are omitted or unclear. For a stronger response, describe the main conversions accurately and distinguish the two former book areas from their new uses.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a body paragraph describing changes. It also uses basic sequencing and contrast markers such as “Overall,” “previously,” “whereas” and “Moreover,” which help the reader follow the comparison. However, the body moves between locations and changes without a consistent route through the plan, and some links are difficult to interpret—for example, “Then, all reference books are replaced by adult fiction books” does not clearly identify the areas being compared. The final details about the machines and storytelling space feel appended rather than integrated. Organise the description by matching corresponding areas, such as left side, right side and central space, and use clearer references to the former and current layouts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “entrance,” “reading room,” “information desk,” “self-service machines” and “converted.” This gives you a workable range for the task. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “new factilities,” “gaming area,” “on the back side of cafe area” and “display on one side.” Spelling errors, including “equiry,” “sapce” and “follwing,” also reduce precision. Some phrases, such as “lots of changes are made,” are vague for an academic summary. Choose precise terms from the plan and use standard map-description language, such as “was replaced by,” “was relocated to” and “in the upper-left section.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “whereas” and a relative clause in “which later removed.” However, errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between features unclear. For example, “how is the floor plan” has incorrect word order, while “20 year back” and “the lots of changes are made” show problems with number, articles and sentence construction. In “which later removed,” the passive verb is incomplete; it should be “which was later removed.” Articles and prepositions are also often missing or inaccurate, as in “has entrance at the middle of front.” Practise accurate past and present passive forms and check each sentence for a complete verb, articles and plural endings.

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