Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-15

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 4.5)

The maps illustrate the changes that took place in the floor plan of a public library 20 year ago and it looks different.

At the glance, the area underwent considerable redevelopment in central library which became accessible. There were add several new sections and being constructed while others were relocated.

In the earlier map, east-northern section contained Children's books and next to Adult no-n fiction books portion. Moreover, east-southern side located Enquiry desk for related to tickets, book returns etc. However, in the late map, this area replaced by Lecture room just by Adult fiction books and self-service machines into the centre replaced an information desk.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies that the library has changed and mentions some relevant features, including the former enquiry desk and the new lecture room, adult fiction area and self-service machines. However, it covers only a small part of the plans: major changes such as the new café and computer room, the relocation of reference books, and the removal of the central tables are omitted. The comparison that the lecture room replaced the enquiry desk is also inaccurate; the lecture room occupies the former children's-books room, while the café is in the former enquiry-desk area. There is no clear, accurate overview of the main changes. The response is 98 words, below the required 150, which further limits its coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response by contrasting the earlier and later maps, and linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “However” show an effort to connect points. Nevertheless, the response is very brief and its progression is difficult to follow: it moves from a general statement to selected eastern areas without systematically comparing the plans. Some references are unclear, particularly “this area” and “just by Adult fiction books,” so the reader must infer which locations are meant. To improve, use a clear overview followed by organised descriptions of the left and right sides, or the former and current uses of each area. Make each comparison explicit and ensure linking words accurately express the relationship between details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant map vocabulary, including “floor plan,” “sections,” “relocated,” and “self-service machines,” and attempts more formal phrasing such as “considerable redevelopment.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which sometimes makes the layout hard to understand. For example, “east-northern section” is not a natural way to describe the upper-right area, and “Adult no-n fiction” appears to be an unsuccessful attempt at “adult non-fiction.” “Became accessible” does not clearly describe the changes shown. Use precise location terms such as “upper-right” and “lower-right,” and choose verbs such as “was converted into” or “was replaced by” only when the plans support that relationship.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “However,” but grammatical control is inconsistent. Errors include “20 year ago” instead of a plural time expression, “There were add several new sections,” and “east-southern side located Enquiry desk,” where the sentence structure is incomplete. In “this area replaced by Lecture room,” the passive verb form is missing, and the article and preposition patterns are also unreliable. These problems sometimes obscure how the rooms relate to one another. Practise complete subject–verb sentences and accurate passive forms for map changes, for example, “The former room was converted into a lecture room.” Check articles, plurals and verb agreement when editing.

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