Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-21

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 4.5)

Now, the library look very wonderfull. There are four portions in the library. One portion is specific for CD's, videos, and computer games. One portion is specific for the children's books. Where they arrange different types of books for childrens like books of poems,stories,and other reading books according to the taste of childrens. The third portion is specific for reading room in which people were sit and read newspapers and magazines there. A small portion is specific for the enquiry desk and it is near the main entrance. On enquiry desk people came to get tickets ,and return those books they issued for reading. In front of the main entrance there is a table and chairs for peoples where they sit and read different kinds of books. Between the CD's room and reading room there is a place for adult fiction books and on the other side or in front of it between the childrens book room and enquiry desk there is a portion for adult non-fiction books.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies several features of the earlier library, including the rooms for media, children’s books and reading, the two adult-book areas, and the central tables and chairs. However, the task asks for a comparison of the library 20 years ago with its present layout, and the response describes only the former plan. It gives no overview of the major changes, such as the new lecture room, café, computer room, information desk and self-service machines, or the removal of the central seating. Some details about children’s books and how visitors use the desk are added but are not shown in the plan. To improve, summarise the main changes and report only features supported by the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a generally understandable sequence, moving from the rooms around the library to the adult-book sections and central seating. Linking phrases such as “On the other side” and “Between the CD’s room and reading room” help explain locations. However, the information is presented as one continuous paragraph, with no clear overview or separation between the main points. Repeated openings such as “One portion is specific” also make the progression feel list-like, and “Where they arrange…” is an unclear fragment rather than a well-connected sentence. Group the information into an overview and focused paragraphs, and use clear contrasts such as “whereas” to compare the two plans.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant vocabulary for describing a library, including “enquiry desk,” “adult fiction books,” “non-fiction books,” and “newspapers and magazines.” These terms make the basic subject matter clear. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise: “portion” is used repeatedly for different areas, and “specific for” is not a natural way to describe a room’s function. There are also spelling and form errors, including “wonderfull,” “childrens,” and “CD’s” where the plural does not need an apostrophe. More precise plan vocabulary and accurate spelling would make the description clearer and more appropriate to an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer structures, for example “Between the CD’s room and reading room there is a place for adult fiction books,” and most of the intended meaning can be followed. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in basic sentence construction and agreement. The opening “Now, the library look” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, while “people were sit and read” uses an incorrect verb form. “Where they arrange…” is a fragment, and “people came to get tickets, and return those books they issued” has unclear tense and clause structure. Practise accurate present-tense descriptions and complete sentences, then use a few controlled complex sentences to compare locations and changes.

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