Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-31

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 illustrate how floor plan of a public library looked 20 years ago and how it looks know.

Overall, the library floor has been change in term of function and services. While previously it only focus on plysical book sections, reading rooms and media room, the modren layout features many interactive and modren features like cafes, computer room and lecture room.

Looking at the image in more detail, we can see that when we enter the library on right side there was a enquiry desk where people take many services like tickets and book returns, now which has been replaced by a cafe. At the left side of cafe there was a reading room now which is occupied by computer room. Now in froont of cafe it has built information desk and self service machines.

At the last right corner there was media room which is now replaced by children fic

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad change from book and media facilities towards newer services, and you make relevant comparisons such as the former enquiry desk becoming a café and the reading room becoming a computer room. However, the report is only partially developed: it gives little account of several major changes, including the former central tables and chairs being removed, the new lecture room, and the relocation or reorganisation of book sections. The final sentence is cut off at “children fic”, so the description ends without completing that comparison or providing a concluding overview. Some details are also unclear, such as “At the left side of cafe,” which does not precisely establish the location. Cover the main changes more fully and ensure every point is complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, a general overview, and a paragraph describing selected locations. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “Looking at the image in more detail,” and “At the last right corner” help signal the direction of the description. However, the progression is not consistently clear because the account moves between areas without a systematic route or grouping, and the final sentence is unfinished. References such as “there” and “it” can also leave the reader unsure which feature is being discussed. Organise the comparisons by matching each former area with its current use, and use clear location references such as “in the southeast corner” to make the layout easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a library plan, including “floor plan,” “sections,” “reading room,” “information desk,” and “self service machines.” This gives the response a minimally adequate range, and the reader can generally identify the facilities being compared. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “know” for “now,” “modren,” “plysical,” and “froont.” Some phrases are also unnatural or vague, such as “take many services” and “it has built information desk.” Use accurate facility names from the diagram and more natural collocations, for example, “the desk provided services such as ticket sales and book returns.” Proofreading spelling and choosing precise location terms would make the description clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “While previously…” and a relative clause in “where people take many services.” However, errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between past and present difficult to follow. For example, “The diagram illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, while “the library floor has been change” uses an incorrect verb form. Past and present tenses are also mixed in “there was a enquiry desk … now which has been replaced,” and articles are missing or incorrect in phrases such as “a enquiry desk” and “a cafe.” The final sentence is incomplete. Practise consistent past-versus-present comparisons and check agreement, articles, and complete sentence boundaries.

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