Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The maps illustrate the changes made to the floor plan of a public library at the present time in comparison to its look 20 years back. Overall, some significant changes have been made throughout the years.

The central library from 20 years ago had a sitting area with tables and chairs near its entrance, but now it has been removed. Similarly, there was an enquiry desk, at the left corner of the library entrance, which has now been converted into a cafe. Meanwhile, the reading room, along the right side of the entrance, has also been modified into a computer room.

There was a section for children's books, which has now become a lecture room. In addition, self-service machines alongwith an information desk are also available, which were not present in the library 20 years ago. There was a corner for CDs, videos and computer games but it has now been dedicated to storytelling events and children's fiction books. Moreover, adult non-fiction books from 20 years back have now been replaced with adult fiction books and all reference books are also available at the current library floor plan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify several important changes, including the removal of the central tables and chairs, the conversion of the children’s-books room into a lecture room, and the addition of self-service machines and an information desk. The response also gives an overall statement that substantial changes occurred. However, some comparisons are inaccurate: the enquiry desk was in the bottom-right area, not the left corner, and the reading room was at the bottom-left, rather than along the right side. The current café occupies the bottom-right room, not the former enquiry-desk area. You also omit notable changes such as the new computer room and the relocation of adult fiction. The main features are covered, but these errors and omissions limit the precision and completeness of the account.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction and overview are followed by paragraphs describing changes, and the information is generally easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “Similarly,” “Meanwhile,” and “In addition” help connect comparisons. However, the sequence of details is not consistently organised by location or by type of change, and some links imply relationships that are not accurate—for example, “Similarly” connects the removal of the seating area with the enquiry desk’s supposed conversion. The final sentence also combines several separate changes, making the comparison less clear. Grouping the plan into left and right sides, or describing the former and current uses in a more systematic order, would make progression more controlled and cohesion less dependent on linking words.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for describing a changing floor plan, including “converted,” “modified,” “replaced,” and “dedicated to.” These choices help communicate changes without repeating the same verb throughout. Some wording is less precise or natural for this task: “its look 20 years back” is awkward, “sitting area” is less exact than the plan’s “tables and chairs,” and “alongwith” is incorrectly written as one word. “A corner for CDs, videos and computer games” is understandable but could be expressed more precisely as a room or section. The vocabulary is adequate and meaning remains clear, but more accurate collocations and consistent use of spatial terms would improve precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You show a useful range of sentence forms, including complex comparisons with “which has now been converted” and “which has now become,” as well as a clear overview sentence. Most sentences are grammatically controlled, and the past-to-present contrast is generally conveyed successfully. A few constructions are less accurate or awkward, such as “in comparison to its look 20 years back” and “adult non-fiction books from 20 years back,” where the time reference is not expressed naturally. The sentence beginning “There was a section for children’s books” also shifts from past description to present change within a long structure, which could be made more direct. Overall, grammar supports clear communication; more consistently controlled comparative phrasing would strengthen the response.

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