Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-16

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 given picture illustrates the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

overall the entrance is the same as previous.

The area inside an entrance, used to fill with chairs and tables, is now free area. Reading room was at left just inside the entrace, which is replaced with computer room.Next to it all fiction book area is replaced with reference books. CDs, videos and computer games is now changed into children fiction books, where story telling is held, room is furnished with sofas. The room right to the entrance once used as enquiry desk is now transformed into cafe. The right side room next to the cafe is adult fiction books, which was once use to be adult non fiction books corner.

The only room which is expansed in size is children fiction book area which was once smaller in space and was used as CDs videos and computer games.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important changes, including the removal of the central tables and chairs, the conversion of the former reading room into a computer room, and the change from an enquiry desk to a café. However, the response only partially covers the plan: it omits notable features such as the new lecture room, information desk and self-service machines, and the relocation of reference books. The overview is also limited to the entrance remaining in the same place, rather than summarising the broader reorganisation. The claim that the children’s fiction area is the only room expanded is not clearly supported by the plan. The response is 143 words, below the 150-word minimum; 15 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly understandable route through the library, comparing the entrance area, left side and right side, and uses some linking expressions such as “Next to it” and “The room right to the entrance.” This gives the reader a basic sense of how the spaces have changed. However, the information is presented as one dense paragraph, with no clear separation between an overview and supporting details. Several comparisons are packed together, so the progression is not always easy to follow, and “The only room…” introduces a point without clearly connecting it to the preceding description. Use separate paragraphs and organise the details by area or by major change.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing plans, including “floor plan,” “replaced,” “transformed,” and “furnished with sofas.” These choices help communicate the main changes, and the range is sufficient to describe several rooms. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise, such as “free area” for the cleared central space and “expansed in size” for an increase in size. There are also spelling and form errors, including “entrace,” “story telling,” and “children fiction book area.” Aim for precise map language and check compound nouns and spelling. More accurate phrasing would make the comparisons clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine information in longer sentences, for example when describing the former reading room and its replacement, and the basic meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors occur frequently in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction. Examples include “used to fill with chairs and tables” instead of a passive form such as “used to be filled,” and “CDs, videos and computer games is now changed,” where the subject and verb do not agree and the passive construction is faulty. “The right side room … is adult fiction books” also lacks a clear grammatical structure. Sentence boundaries and capitalisation need attention, including the lowercase “overall” after the opening sentence. Practise accurate passive comparisons and shorter, controlled sentences.

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

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