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 diagrams shows the internal changes that took place in a public library when compared to the 20 years ago and how it looks today.

Overall, many changes have taken place in the library, the enquiry room and the tables and chairs in the centre of library were removed, followed by new addition of new cafe, self-service machines and an information desk. The room of children's books were replaced by a lecture room, a new designated room for children with stroytelling events and sofa is allocated, a new computer room was added.

The central library went through various changes, the room containing CD'S, videos and computer games was replaced by a designated completely for children with stroytelling events and 2 sofas along with fiction books. Adjacent to it adult fiction books were present which was relocated next to the cafe along with an information desk and self-service machines. In place of adult fiction books the place was allocated for refrence books. The reading room for newspapers and magazines were changed to computer room.

In the middle of the library tables and chairs were present before was removed, adult non-fiction books, enquiry desk for tickets, book returnsetc were replaced by a new cafe. the children's books replacved by a new lecture room.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall changes, including the removal of the central tables and chairs and the addition of a café, self-service machines and an information desk. You also report several key room changes accurately: the former reading room becomes a computer room, the children’s-books room becomes a lecture room, and the library gains a storytelling area for children. This covers the task well, though some details are unclear or inaccurate. For example, the former CDs/videos room becomes a children’s fiction and storytelling room, not simply a room designated for children; adult fiction moves to the middle-right area, while the former adult non-fiction area becomes a café. Clarifying these locations and distinguishing the two former book areas would make the comparisons more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has an opening, an overview and two detail paragraphs, so there is some organisation and the reader can identify the broad purpose of each section. However, progression is difficult to follow because changes are repeated and grouped inconsistently: the children’s-books room becoming a lecture room appears in both the overview and final paragraph, while several other changes are packed into long sentences. Linking phrases such as “In place of” and “Adjacent to it” are attempted, but their references are sometimes unclear. For example, “Adjacent to it” does not make the location of the adult-fiction section easy to track. Organise the details by area or by old-to-new room changes, and use clear references such as “the former adult-fiction area” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “relocated,” “designated,” “replaced” and “self-service machines.” These choices show some ability to use task-specific language, but control is uneven and several errors make the description less precise. Examples include “new addition of new cafe,” “the room of children’s books,” and “book returnsetc”; spelling errors such as “stroytelling,” “refrence” and “replacved” are also noticeable. Some phrases are repetitive, particularly “new” and “replaced,” and “enquiry room” is not the label shown in the plan (“enquiry desk”). Use accurate labels and vary verbs with precise alternatives such as “converted into,” “moved to” and “introduced.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and comparisons using “when compared to” and “In place of.” However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make relationships between features difficult to understand. For example, “The diagrams shows” has subject–verb disagreement, while “the tables and chairs in the centre of library were removed, followed by new addition” has an unclear construction and missing article. There are also agreement and tense problems in “The reading room … were changed” and “the children's books replacved.” Aim for complete, clearly structured sentences, check singular/plural agreement, and use consistent past-tense forms for the changes. A careful edit for articles and sentence boundaries would improve accuracy.

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.