Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-02

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A magazine wants to include contributions from its readers for an article called 'The book that influenced me most'.

Write a letter to the editor of the magazine about the book that influenced you most. In your letter

- describe what this book was about
- explain how this book influenced you
- say whether this book would be likely to influence other people

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to contribute to your article entitled "The book that influenced me most". This is a great opportunity to share my review of this book. The book is Information Security and the author's name is "William Stallings". This publication is an outstanding resource. The writer explains all the core problems and solutions in the book.

Furthermore, the book is well organized and follows academic requirements. Moreover, encryption and decryption sample questions are solved with examples. This book has had a significant impact on me as I am a Lecturer of Computer Science and I need this teaching material for my students. I always recommend this book to my learners because it is highly beneficial for them. In addition, they can practice all the techniques of cryptography. As a result of this, they develop a better understanding of cryptography.

I hope my review will be useful for your article. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Rabia Kanwal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the book, explain its influence on your professional life as a lecturer, and mention its utility for students. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of how it influenced you is quite brief, focusing more on the book's content than the personal impact. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'why' and 'how' with more descriptive detail or personal reflection. The tone is appropriate for a magazine contribution, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'As a result of this' to link your ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, the transition between the description of the book and its influence could be more sophisticated. Paragraphing is used correctly, which helps the reader follow your argument. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas feels less like a list and more like a cohesive narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'outstanding resource', 'core problems', and 'cryptography'. The language is generally accurate and appropriate for the context. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the frequent use of 'the book'. To achieve a higher score, aim to use more synonyms or referencing (e.g., 'this publication', 'the text', 'the volume') and incorporate more precise, topic-specific collocations to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and your meaning is always clear. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, you should aim to incorporate a greater variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, to show more flexibility. For example, instead of 'I need this teaching material', you could use 'As a lecturer, I find this material indispensable for my curriculum'.

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