Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-19

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 provided diagrams shows the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Overall, the area become more modern and developed over the period with several new facilities being added.The most noticeable feature is that the entrances area remained unchanged.

In general, it is clear that 20 years ago the receptionist area was situated at the right-bottom of the library. Children books room was available on the top right area, whereas rooms for adult non-fiction and adult fiction books were located at the both side of east and western side. Additionally, area for CDs and other computer games was located to the north-western side and room for reading was available at bottom-left corner. Furthermore, sitting area for customers was bulid in the center.

Comparatively, now library underwent several changes. At present, children's fiction books and sofa siting room is constructed to the left-top corner where events of storytelling are organzied. Moreover, receptionist room is turned into cafe and in the vicinity self- service machines are installed. At the north- eastern side lecture room is now constructed, whereas reading room is replaced by computer room.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from the earlier layout to the current one and include several relevant comparisons, such as the reading room becoming a computer room and the former enquiry area being replaced by a café. However, the account is only partly complete: it omits important changes including the new lecture room, the information desk and self-service machines, and the conversion of the central tables-and-chairs area. Some details are also inaccurate or unclear: the adult fiction and non-fiction areas were not on opposite sides as described, and the enquiry desk is not a receptionist area. The overview that the library became “more modern and developed” is general; a clearer summary of the main relocations and new facilities would make the response more fully informative.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening, an overview and separate descriptions of the former and current layouts. This helps the reader follow the broad comparison. However, progression within the body paragraphs is uneven: the first description moves between locations and facilities without a consistent route through the plan, while the current-layout paragraph leaves out several key features. Linking expressions such as “Additionally,” “Furthermore,” and “Comparatively” are used, but some connections feel mechanical, and “In general” repeats the overview function rather than advancing the description. Organise each layout systematically—for example, from the entrance upwards and then from left to right—and use clear references to distinguish old from new features.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “floor plan,” “located,” “replaced,” and “installed.” There is also an attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “north-western side” and “vicinity.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this task: “receptionist area” mislabels the enquiry desk, “sitting area” is less precise than the plan’s tables and chairs, and “sofa siting room” does not clearly describe the children’s area. Spelling errors such as “bulid” and “organzied,” along with inconsistent forms such as “children books,” reduce control. Use precise facility names and standard location phrases to make comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “whereas” and a time comparison introduced by “20 years ago.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors occur across the response. For example, “The provided diagrams shows” has subject–verb disagreement, and “the area become” uses an incorrect verb form. Articles and plurals are also inconsistent in “Children books room” and “at the both side,” while “the entrances area remained unchanged” has an awkward noun structure. There are punctuation and spacing problems, including the missing space after “added.” Review agreement, past-tense forms for the earlier plan, and article use; then proofread sentence boundaries and spacing.

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

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