Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The map diagram illustrate the floor plan of a public library 20 year ago and how it look now.

In an overview , in the north west corner of the central library 20 year ago there was CDs , videos computer games , but now few chnaging of the map diagram in the north west corner of the map are creating safa storytelling events ,and childrens fiction books .

First and foremost , the enterence of the map central library 20 year ago there was a lot of tables and chairs , but now central library there is a empty place of the entrence of the map . In the south west corner of the map 20 year ago there was a reading room (newspaper and magazines) , and now there is a computer room. In the south east corner of the central library 20 year ago there was a enquiry desk ( tickets , book returns , etc) ,but now there is a cafe . In the north east corner of the central library 20 year ago there was childrens books hall , and now there is a lecture room .

At least but not last in the west side of the central library 20 year ago there was there was a adult fiction books centre , but now there is alll reference books centre . At the end of in the east side of central library 20 year ago there was a adult non-fiction books , bjut now there is preparing self service machines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main purpose of the plans and identify several important changes, including the former reading room becoming a computer room, the enquiry desk area becoming a café, and the children’s room becoming a lecture room. You also note the changes to the northwest room and the book sections. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the details, and some descriptions are unclear or incomplete: the central tables and chairs were removed, leaving the central area without them, rather than simply creating an “empty place of the entrance.” The current adult-fiction area also includes an information desk and self-service machines, which your account does not explain clearly. A more precise overview of the major reorganisation would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an opening, an attempted overview, and paragraphs describing changes around the plan. Location-based sequencing helps the reader follow several comparisons, such as the southwest and southeast corners. However, progression is weakened by the long, crowded overview and repeated or mechanical linking phrases, including “First and foremost,” “At least but not last,” and “At the end of.” Some sentences combine several changes without clear boundaries, and the repeated “20 year ago … but now” pattern makes the report feel list-like. Use a concise overview paragraph, then group related changes into clearly organised detail paragraphs, with accurate references such as “the former reading room” to connect ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant plan vocabulary, including “north west corner,” “reading room,” “adult fiction books,” and “self service machines,” so the reader can recognise many of the features being compared. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the meaning less precise. For example, “preparing self service machines” does not describe the machines’ presence, while “empty place” is an imprecise way to describe the central area after the tables and chairs were removed. Errors such as “enterence,” “safa,” and “bjut” are also noticeable. Build a more accurate set of change verbs and location phrases, such as “was replaced by,” “was converted into,” and “in the former … area,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to compare past and present features using contrast clauses, especially the repeated pattern “there was …, but now there is …”. This gives the response some sentence variety, but control is inconsistent. The opening has agreement and tense problems (“The map diagram illustrate” and “20 year ago”), and article or noun-number errors appear in phrases such as “a empty place” and “a adult fiction books.” Several sentences are also difficult to parse because clauses are joined without clear punctuation, particularly the overview sentence beginning “In an overview.” To improve, practise accurate past-tense descriptions alongside present-tense descriptions, check subject–verb agreement and articles, and divide long comparisons into shorter, complete sentences.

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