Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The two diagrams illustrate the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks today.

Overall, despite some features remaining the same, the central library has transformed into a modern central library resulting the changes in storytelling and fiction books.

To begin with, library 20 years ago there were only computer games, adult's fiction and non fiction books, children books a reading room containing of newspapers and magazines, tables and chairs in the sunlight and an enquiry desk that was for tickets, book returns. The entrance area remained the same.

By the present day, storytelling has supplanted the computer games. Adult fiction books has transformed into all reference books. Self service machines are also available. There is a cafe in today' central library. Adult and children fiction books remained the same even today. Today' library has sofa in the storytelling events. There is nothing put on the entrance side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the two plans and note that the entrance remains in the same position, while mentioning several changes such as the new café, self-service machines and storytelling area. However, the overview is unclear: “transformed into a modern central library resulting the changes in storytelling and fiction books” does not summarise the main reorganisation accurately. Several details are misreported or incomplete. The computer-games room was replaced by a children’s fiction/storytelling room, not storytelling alone; adult fiction moved to the middle-right, while the former adult-fiction area became reference books. The claim that adult and children’s fiction “remained the same” is misleading. You also omit major changes such as the lecture room and computer room. The response is 139 words, below the 150-word minimum, and this limits coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, a brief overview and two paragraphs comparing the earlier and current layouts. Time markers such as “20 years ago” and “By the present day” help signal the comparison. However, progression within the paragraphs is weak, and the list of features in the third paragraph is difficult to follow because locations and changes are not grouped systematically. The final paragraph jumps between storytelling, reference books, machines, the café and fiction without clear links. Some connections are also unclear, particularly “Adult fiction books has transformed into all reference books,” which makes the relationship between the old and new layouts hard to interpret. Organise the comparison by areas of the plan and use clearer contrast markers such as “whereas” and “in contrast.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “floor plan,” “enquiry desk,” “self-service machines” and “reading room,” so the topic is generally recognisable. There is also an attempt to describe change through “supplanted” and “transformed.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward: “in the sunlight” is not supported by the plan, “storytelling has supplanted the computer games” does not identify the new room’s children’s-fiction function, and “nothing put on the entrance side” is vague. Repetition of “books,” “library” and “today” also reduces precision. Use exact labels and location language, for example “the former games room now houses children’s fiction and storytelling events” or “the entrance remains at the centre of the southern side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a few different sentence forms, including the opening comparison and the overview beginning “Overall,” but most sentences rely on simple statements or lists, and errors are frequent. Examples include the missing article in “library 20 years ago,” the agreement error “Adult fiction books has transformed,” and the incomplete construction “resulting the changes.” The phrase “a reading room containing of newspapers and magazines” combines incompatible forms, while “There is a cafe in today’ central library” has an incorrect possessive construction. These errors sometimes make relationships between features unclear. Practise accurate past-versus-present comparisons and use controlled clauses such as “The former reading room has been converted into a computer room.” Check articles, subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries when editing.

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