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)

The given diagram illustrats in 20 years how much floor plan of civic liburary has changed.

Central Library 20 years ago has much differences then today. Two decades ago the map of central library is like, Tables and chairs are in front of entrances we also called it these are in the mid of library. while Enquiry dest is the very right side of the enterence and Reading room was on the alteernate of Enquiry dest which is the left side of enterence. CDS, videos and games are on the top left side while, Adult fiction books are between the CDc, videos room and Reading room. Children's books are on the top right side from the entrance and Adult non-fiction books are in thr mid of children's vooks and enquiry desk.

The updated map is, cafe on the right side of entrance and computer room is located at the left of entrance. Children's fiction books or storytelling events are at the top left of entrance while lecture room is opposit to the children's fiction books area. Reference books are between computer room and children's fiction books room. On the other hand Information dest, self-service machines are between the lecture room and cafe.

Overall, There in two decades a lot of things changes in central library. There is different rooms for children books, magazines and newspaper, CDs and lare computers have there seprate room also and tables are in the mid. While now there is cafe, computer room, events area and a leature room available in the liburary.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad purpose of the plans and report several relevant changes, including the new café and computer room, the children’s storytelling area, and the replacement of the central tables. You also describe many locations in both layouts. However, the response does not clearly select and foreground the main changes in a concise overview: the final paragraph is vague and partly contradicts the earlier account by saying tables are in the middle now. Some details are inaccurate or unclear, such as describing the old reading room as “on the alternate” of the enquiry desk and saying the information desk and machines are between the lecture room and café, rather than in the adult-fiction area. A clearer overview and more precise comparisons would make the account more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence: it describes the earlier plan, then the current one, and ends with an overall statement. This gives the reader a basic framework for following the comparison. However, progression within paragraphs is often difficult to track because locations are listed in long sentences, with limited punctuation and unclear references. For example, “while Enquiry dest is the very right side of the enterence and Reading room was on the alteernate…” makes the relationship between the two rooms hard to interpret. Linking phrases such as “On the other hand” do not always express a clear contrast, and the final overview repeats details without resolving the earlier comparison. Grouping changes by area or by what was removed and added would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “floor plan,” “entrance,” “self-service machines,” “reference books,” and “storytelling events,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the description unclear. Phrases such as “on the alternate of,” “in the mid,” and “have there separate room” do not express the intended spatial or functional relationships naturally. There are also frequent spelling errors, including “liburary,” “enterence,” “dest,” and “leature,” which reduce clarity. Aim to use precise location language consistently and check spelling of key labels from the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response generally communicates that the library has changed. However, complex sentences are often difficult to control, and frequent errors in tense, agreement, articles, and sentence construction sometimes obscure the relationships between features. For example, “Central Library 20 years ago has much differences then today” has problems with tense, number, and comparison, while “There in two decades a lot of things changes” is not grammatically complete. Several sentences also run together, as in the description beginning “Two decades ago the map…,” making punctuation and clause boundaries unclear. Practise accurate past-versus-present forms and build comparisons from shorter, complete sentences before combining them.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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