Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram shows how much the library has changed in the last 20 years. Libraries back then only had books, but now as the world has advanced, lots of things have been changed.

Twenty years back, the Central Library only had different sections of books, reading rooms and an enquiry desk where people could ask for different kinds of help. But, if we look at todays library, it has a room where only lectures could be taken and another seperate room for kids where they could feel comfortable and have storytelling events. There's also a computer room present in today's library due to the advancement of technology and a cafe where people could go and relax. Moreover, enquiry desk has been replaced by self service machines.

There's a lot of difference in both times of libraries. The library 20 years back was according to the requirements that were required in that era, where as the library today is according to the necessities of today's world.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the new lecture room, children’s storytelling area, computer room, café, and self-service machines replacing the enquiry desk. However, the response only partially summarises the plan: it gives little detail about the former layout and omits major changes such as the removal of the central tables and chairs, the relocation of adult fiction, and the conversion of the children’s and reference-book areas. The opening claim that the old library “only had books” is inaccurate, since it also had a reading room, enquiry desk, and tables and chairs. The final comparison is broad rather than a clear overview of the main spatial changes. Include a concise overview and compare the key areas more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, a paragraph describing selected changes, and a concluding comparison. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Twenty years back” and “if we look at today’s library” signal the time contrast. However, the progression is not consistently clear because the description moves between features without a systematic route through the plan, and the final paragraph repeats the general idea that the libraries differ without adding specific information. Linking words such as “Moreover” are used, but relationships between individual changes are not always developed. Group the information by the old and new layouts or by corresponding areas, then use clear comparisons to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing library facilities, including “enquiry desk,” “storytelling events,” “self service machines,” and “computer room.” This shows a basic ability to communicate the topic, but the range is limited and several expressions are vague or informal for an academic plan description. For example, “lots of things have been changed” and “feel comfortable” do not precisely describe the changes shown, while “different kinds of help” is less specific than the services listed on the plan. There are also spelling and form issues, including “todays,” “seperate,” and “cafe.” Aim for precise terms such as “was converted into,” “was relocated,” and “facilities,” and check spelling and hyphenation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “But, if we look at today’s library” and a relative clause in “where people could ask.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical choices are inaccurate or awkward. For example, “lots of things have been changed” uses an unnatural passive construction, and “the library 20 years back was according to the requirements that were required” is repetitive and structurally cumbersome. The phrase “enquiry desk has been replaced” also needs an article, and “where as” should be written as one word. Use direct, controlled sentences to describe changes, such as “The enquiry desk was replaced by self-service machines,” and check articles, tense consistency, and punctuation.

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