Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-03
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 diagrams show the floor plan of a public library. First diagram shows the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and second diagram shows how it looks now.
In first diagram, visitors enter to the main entrance in the front entrance area shows tables and chairs and right side of entrance an enquiry desk such as tickets, book returns, etc. The left side of entrance is reading room where people can read newspapers and magazines. Walking straight ahead past the central tables and chairs leads to the children’s books area on the right and the multimedia section for CDs, videos, and computer games on the left.
Today, the central library look like this. visitors enter to the entrance gate the right side of a cafe and the left side of a computer room. Walking straight forword stop at the center the right side of information books, self-service machines and adult fiction books and the left side of all reference books area. At the far end of the library, the right side of lecture room and the left side of storytelling events, sofa and children's fiction books area.
In conclusion, there are many things added in the library like cafe, lecture room and sofa etc. It means the library was developed compare to the 20 years ago library.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the two time periods and report several genuine changes, including the addition of a café, lecture room, computer room and storytelling area. You also describe the former and current locations of several facilities, so the response is relevant to the plan. However, the main changes are not clearly summarised as an overview: the removal of the central tables and chairs and the substantial reorganisation of the library are not highlighted. Some details are inaccurate or unclear, such as saying the café is on the right of the entrance; it is in the bottom-right area, while the computer room is bottom-left. The former adult fiction and non-fiction sections are also omitted. A clearer overview and more accurate selection of key comparisons would strengthen the report.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic chronological structure: it describes the earlier plan, then the current one, and ends with a brief conclusion. This helps readers follow the broad comparison. However, progression within the descriptions is sometimes difficult to track. For example, the first paragraph begins with the entrance area and then moves to the far end, while the second uses phrases such as “Walking straight forword stop at the center” and “At the far end” without consistently clarifying the route or position. The conclusion repeats the general idea that the library changed rather than drawing together the main contrasts. Organise each period in a consistent order, use clear location references, and make the overview a distinct part of the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for describing a library, including “enquiry desk,” “self-service machines,” “reference books,” and “multimedia section.” These terms help convey the plan’s functions, and the response generally remains understandable. However, the range of comparison and location language is limited, with repeated use of “right side,” “left side,” and “area.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “entrance gate” and “information books,” and “forword” is misspelled. “Many things added” is also too general for an academic report. Aim for more precise terms for positions and changes, and check spelling and collocations so that the reader can identify each facility without ambiguity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response mainly uses simple statements and attempts some longer structures, such as “Walking straight ahead past the central tables and chairs leads to…” This gives you a starting point for describing routes and locations. However, grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between places unclear. Examples include “First diagram shows” and “Today, the central library look like this,” where articles and subject–verb agreement are missing or incorrect. The sentence “visitors enter to the main entrance in the front entrance area shows tables and chairs” has an unclear structure, and “the right side of a cafe” lacks a clear grammatical link to the entrance. Practise accurate sentence patterns for locating features, and check articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries.
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