Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-13

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)

The diagrams illustates the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Overall, the diagram shows the central library structue 20 years ago and how its looks now.

The central library 20 years ago looks like very simple in the diagram, it had a one entrance and the right side of the entrance reading room or left side of the entrance enquiry desk is situated.The tables and chairs are arreged in the front of the entrance. The front of the reading room adult fiction books and front of the enquiry desk the adult non-fiction books are situated in 20 years ago. The cornor of the central library CDs,videos and computer games and last children books are situated 20 years ago.

The centrallooks today like a modern library. First of all, it has a one entrance, one computer room are built right side of the entrance or cafe left side of the corner. The all reference books and adults fiction books and self-service machines , inforamtion desk. One more roo, the room is for lecture and corner of the central library Children fiction are built. That is the all overview of today central library look

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the topic and make a basic comparison between the earlier and current library, noting changes such as the addition of a computer room, café, lecture room and self-service machines. However, the response only partially reports the plan: several locations are unclear or reversed, including the reading room and enquiry desk, and the description of the old layout does not clearly distinguish the left and right sides. The overview repeats that the library looks different rather than summarising the main transformation, such as the removal of the central tables and the reorganisation of book areas. Some current features, including the storytelling area and sofas, are omitted. A clearer overview and more accurate, selective comparisons would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the diagrams, describes the former layout, and then moves to the present-day plan. Phrases such as “Overall” and “First of all” signal these stages, so the reader can recognise the intended structure. However, progression within the paragraphs is difficult to follow because locations and features are crowded together, as in “right side of the entrance reading room or left side of the entrance enquiry desk.” The repeated use of “situated” and the final sentence, “That is the all overview,” do not create clear links between ideas. Use separate sentences for each area and consistent location language, then group changes by side or function to make the comparison easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “entrance,” “adult fiction books,” “self-service machines,” and “information desk.” This gives the response a minimally adequate range for the topic. However, vocabulary is repetitive and several word choices or forms make the meaning less clear: “looks like very simple,” “the front of the entrance,” and “one more roo” are not natural or precise descriptions. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “illustates,” “structue,” “arreged,” and “inforamtion.” Aim to use accurate map language such as “located,” “opposite,” “adjacent to,” and “replaced by,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most sentences rely on simple structures, and attempts to combine several details often become difficult to understand. For example, “The central library 20 years ago looks like very simple in the diagram, it had a one entrance” contains problems with tense, article use and sentence boundaries. In “one computer room are built,” the subject and verb do not agree, while “how its looks now” has an incorrect pronoun form and verb structure. The response also uses incomplete or unclear sentence patterns, particularly in the final description of the current layout. Practise accurate present and past forms for comparing plans, and build shorter sentences with one clear subject and verb before attempting longer comparisons.

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

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