Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-29

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)

In 20 years alot changed as the era got more modern so the whole setting of the library has changed. Previously there were only three rooms in the library and a huge desk was placed in the hallway which was almost eating a place for the fourth room.However, today there are a total of 4 rooms in the library, still there's a information desk in the hallway but its compact and is not taking much space and as the era has got more modernized so we can clearly see a change in the technology as previously there was a manual checkout system but now it has self checkout. Previously the three rooms allotted were cd, video games , children books and one was a reading room and in the hallway there were some chair tables for sitting and on the right side there were adult non fiction books and on the left side there were adult fiction books.But in todays library there is a room which has a story telling event section along with children fiction books,for readers convenience a cafe has also been built then there are two more rooms one is a leacture room and other is a computer room and in the hallway there are reference books, adult fiction books and the self service machines along with the information desk.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the central tables and chairs with self-service machines and the addition of a café, computer room and lecture room. You also compare the former adult fiction and non-fiction areas with the current arrangement. However, the account is only partly complete and some details are inaccurate or unclear: the earlier plan also had a separate room for CDs, videos and computer games, and the current information desk is in the adult-fiction area rather than simply described as being in the hallway. The overview that the library has become more modern is broad; a clearer summary of the main spatial changes would make the report more informative. Select and describe the key changes more precisely, including the reading room’s replacement by the computer room and the reorganisation of book sections.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response generally moves from the former layout to the current one, and words such as “Previously” and “today” help signal the comparison. However, the information is presented in two very long blocks, with several changes joined together in single sentences. This makes the progression difficult to follow, particularly in the sentence beginning “But in todays library,” which lists multiple rooms and facilities without clear grouping. Some linking is repetitive, especially the repeated use of “there” and “and.” Organise the report into a brief overview followed by separate paragraphs for the earlier and current layouts, and group features by location or type. This would give the reader a clearer route through the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “self checkout,” “reference books,” “adult fiction books” and “lecture room.” These terms help communicate the main changes. However, the range is limited and several expressions are informal or imprecise for an academic report: “a huge desk,” “eating a place,” and “for readers convenience” do not describe the layout naturally. There are also spelling and word-form errors, such as “leacture” and “modernized,” and inconsistent capitalisation of labels. Aim for precise map vocabulary and more formal collocations, such as “occupied space,” “was replaced by,” and “the information desk is located in.” Check spelling and use the plan’s labels consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas using longer structures, for example “as the era has got more modernized so we can clearly see a change,” but these extended sentences are often difficult to control. There are frequent issues with articles and agreement, as in “there’s a information desk,” and with sentence boundaries: several independent ideas run together without full stops, while spacing after punctuation is inconsistent. The tense shifts between “Previously there were” and “today there are” are generally understandable, but the long sentences make relationships between changes unclear. Use a consistent past-versus-present structure and divide each comparison into shorter sentences. Practise accurate articles and punctuation, and use a few controlled complex sentences rather than joining many points with “and” or “but.”

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