Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustrates the floor plan of 20 yeards old public library and today's.

Overall, the area underwent significant changes, with several new facilities being added and some existing ones being removed . Although the table and chairs are removed in new library, sofa set has been added . Entrence is unchanged.

20 years back , there were some chairs and tables in the centre of library. Moving forward, there were adult non fiction books on both sides parallel to tables and chairs. Children's books were located on the north -east side of library.Enquiry desk were placed next to the eastern adult fiction books.In the north- west corner there was Cds , vedios and computer games for children. Reading room consists newspaper and magazines was positioned on the south -west side of library.

The central library today has nothing in centre but on the left side there are adult fiction books ,desk and self service machines.Next to it , there is a cafe for refreshment.On the right side of entrence there is a computer room . All references books are placed adjacent to computer room . In the north west part of library there is children fiction books and sofa's.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You provide an overview of substantial change and correctly note that the central tables and chairs were removed and the entrance stayed in the same place. You also identify several original facilities and some current ones. However, the comparison is only partial and includes important inaccuracies: adult non-fiction was on one side of the central area, not “both sides,” and the current adult-fiction area, information desk and self-service machines are on the right, not the left. The lecture room and café are also omitted, as are the former children’s-book area and the new storytelling facility. To make the report more complete, organise the main changes by location and accurately describe the most significant additions, removals and relocations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and separate descriptions of the former and current layouts. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the descriptions is uneven, and some links between features are unclear. For example, “Moving forward” does not clearly signal a shift to another location, while “Next to it” has an uncertain reference in the current-layout paragraph. The repeated use of “there were” and “there is” also makes the account feel list-like. Use a consistent route around each plan—such as from the entrance, through the left side, then the right—and use precise location references to connect details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “north-west corner,” “adjacent,” “self-service machines” and “underwent significant changes.” These choices show some range beyond basic location words. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “yeards,” “Entrence,” “vedios” and “references books.” Some phrases are also imprecise or unnatural, such as “sofa set,” “for refreshment” and “adult non fiction books on both sides parallel to tables and chairs.” Aim for accurate labels from the diagram and more natural collocations. Proofreading spelling and using consistent forms such as “adult non-fiction books” would make the description clearer and more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple sentences and more developed structures, including the contrast beginning “Although the table and chairs are removed” and the location clause “which was positioned…” The main meaning is generally recoverable, but grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between features difficult to follow. Examples include “Enquiry desk were placed,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect, and “Reading room consists newspaper and magazines,” which lacks an appropriate verb pattern and articles. Tense is also inconsistent when describing the former plan, and several sentences omit articles or use awkward sentence boundaries. Practise past-tense descriptions for the old layout and present-tense descriptions for today, checking agreement and complete verb patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.