Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-10

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 5.0)

20 years ago on the left side of entrance it had reading room with newspapers and magazines. On the right side it had enquiry desk. In center it had two big tables and approximately 8 chairs for each table placed in the centre. on the left side of tables it had adult fiction books and on the right side it had adult non-fiction books.

Towards the end of the library on left side it had CDs,video games and computer games and on the right side it had children's book.

Central library today have computer room on the right side of the entrance and cafe of the right side. At the center It has all reference books on the left side and adult fiction books, information desk and self service machine on the right side. towards the end of the library on the left side it has two sofa ,story teling section and childre's fiction books. On the right side a lecture room.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several important features on both plans, including the former reading room and enquiry desk, the central tables, and the new computer room, café, and lecture room. However, the response mainly lists locations rather than summarising the overall changes, and it gives no clear overview of how the library has been reorganised. Some details are inaccurate: the computer room is on the left of the entrance, not the right, and the café is on the right. The former central tables and chairs have also been removed, while the new plan adds self-service machines and changes the book areas; these changes are not clearly compared. To strengthen the response, begin with a concise overview and report the main transformations accurately, grouping related changes rather than describing each location in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic chronological structure: it describes the library 20 years ago first and then moves to the present. Location phrases such as “on the left side” and “towards the end” help the reader follow the plan. However, the information is presented as a sequence of loosely connected statements, with no separate overview or clear grouping of the major changes. Repeated use of “on the left side” and “on the right side” makes the progression mechanical, and the shift from the old plan to the current one would benefit from a clearer transition. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and two focused detail paragraphs, using comparisons such as “whereas” or “in contrast” to connect changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant basic vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “reading room,” “adult fiction books,” “information desk,” and “lecture room.” These terms make many locations identifiable. However, the range of language for describing change and spatial relationships is limited, and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, such as “on the right side” and “towards the end.” There are also spelling and word-form errors, including “story teling” and “childre's,” as well as inconsistent forms such as “self service machine.” These do not prevent the reader from understanding the general meaning, but they reduce precision. Build a wider set of accurate map-description phrases and check spelling and compound forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most of the response uses short, simple statements, so the range of sentence structures is limited. There are frequent problems with verb forms and sentence construction, for example “20 years ago … it had” and “Central library today have,” where the tense or subject–verb agreement is not controlled. The opening phrase “On the left side of entrance it had” also lacks an article and has an awkward structure. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including the lower-case “on” after a full stop and missing spaces after commas. These errors sometimes make the relationships between features less clear. Practise accurate past and present forms, and combine related locations using controlled clauses, for example, “The former reading room was replaced by a computer room.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.