Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The diagram illustrates the changes made to the layout of a central library over the span of two decades.

Overall, the library has been updated with some significant changes. Now it has open space in the center. Most notable changes are computer room and cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic and gives a brief overall impression, noting that the library has changed and that a computer room and café are notable additions. However, it reports almost none of the plan’s specific changes: it does not compare the former reading room, enquiry desk, or central tables with the current computer room, café, information desk, and self-service machines, for example. The statement that there is now open space in the centre is relevant, but needs to be linked to the removal of the tables and chairs. The response is also 105 words below the required minimum, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, describe the main changes in both plans and support the overview with clear location-based comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic, understandable sequence: it introduces the diagram, gives an overview, and then identifies two notable changes. The paragraph break helps distinguish the introduction from the overview. However, the very short response does not develop a clear progression through the library’s areas, and the final sentence introduces the computer room and café without explaining where they are or how they relate to the earlier layout. Cohesive links between past and present are also absent. Organise the details by location or by major changes, and use clear comparisons such as “whereas” or “in place of” to guide the reader through the plans.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general topic, with relevant terms such as “layout,” “span of two decades,” and “open space.” “Significant changes” also gives a concise summary of the overall transformation. However, the range is very limited because few features are described, and “Most notable changes are computer room and cafe” is imprecise: it names facilities without explaining the changes or their locations. Use the plan’s specific labels and more precise language for spatial relationships, such as “was converted into,” “relocated to,” or “in the north-west corner.” This would make the description more informative and demonstrate a broader, more accurate range of task-related vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response uses clear, mostly straightforward sentence structures, and the opening sentence accurately frames the time comparison. The overview sentence, “Now it has open space in the center,” is also easy to understand. However, the grammatical range is narrow, with no developed comparison or complex sentence showing how the former and current layouts differ. In “Most notable changes are computer room and cafe,” the plural noun phrase lacks a determiner, and the sentence would be more complete as “The most notable changes are the addition of a computer room and a café.” Practise combining accurate clauses to compare locations and functions, while checking articles and sentence completeness.

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

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