Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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 diagram illustrate the initial architectural design of the floor of a public library over 20 years and its present look.

overall, the entrance remain the same from the previous to the presnt look,the is additional corner for sofa at the upper right of the plan of the presnt look.

initially, the plan has been the same.,but the arrangement of the books have been changed,however the where the DVD,video and was jn 20 years ago is where storytelling event, sofa and children fiction book is placed now,

meanwhile, the adult fiction is replaced with reference book and the reading room which is for magazine and newspapar is now computer room.

furthermore,the table and chair close to the entrances door was permanently removed and nothing is placed there. the northeastern part was childrens book below it was adult fiction book and enquiry desk for tickets,which was changed to lecture room below is th,information desk.and cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the conversion of the former media room into a children’s fiction and storytelling area, the reading room into a computer room, and the removal of the central tables and chairs. You also note that the entrance remains in the same place. However, some comparisons are unclear or inaccurate: the children’s books room became a lecture room, while the former enquiry-desk area became a café, not an area with an information desk. The information desk is in the adult-fiction section. The overview also focuses on a “sofa” corner rather than summarising the broader reorganisation. Covering the main changes more precisely and explaining the new layout more fully would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic overall sequence: it begins with a general statement, gives an overview, and then describes changes to different parts of the library. Linking expressions such as “overall,” “initially,” and “furthermore” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because several changes are packed into long, loosely connected sentences, and punctuation does not reliably separate them. For example, the sentence beginning “initially, the plan has been the same” moves through several locations without clear boundaries. Some references, such as “below it” and “there,” are also hard to interpret. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and details, and group comparisons by area.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “entrance,” “reading room,” “reference book,” “storytelling event,” and “computer room.” These terms help communicate the main subject and some changes. However, word choice and spelling are often imprecise, which sometimes makes the intended meaning less clear. For instance, “the initial architectural design of the floor” is an awkward way to introduce the earlier plan, and “the northeastern part” is less useful than naming the room or section directly. There are also spelling errors such as “presnt,” “newspapar,” and “childrens.” Aim for accurate, consistent labels from the diagram and use clear map-description phrases such as “was converted into” and “is now located in.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including comparisons joined with “but,” “however,” and “meanwhile.” This gives the response some structural variety. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries frequently make the descriptions harder to read. For example, “the entrance remain” needs subject–verb agreement, while “the arrangement of the books have been changed” has an agreement error. The opening also lacks a clear grammatical structure, and several sentences run together with commas or full stops in the wrong places. Practise writing complete, controlled sentences, checking singular and plural subjects, and using past and present forms consistently when comparing the two plans.

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