Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05

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 am writing to contribute to your article, ‘The book that influenced me most. The book I would like to write about is Atomic Habits by James Clear. It had a very positive impact on my daily life and the way I think about personal improvement.

The book explains how small habits can lead to a big change over time. It shows that improving a little every day is more effective than trying to make a large change all at once. The author gives practical advice about how to build a good habit and breaking the bad ones by using simple steps.

After reading this book I started planning my daily routine more carefully and setting a small goal for myself. Instead of trying to complete everything at once, I focused on making steady progress each day. As result I became more confident, organised and consistent at work and personal life.

I believe this book can influence many other people as its ideas are simple, practical and easy to follow. Whether someone is student, a employee or a business owner, the advice can improve their daily life and achieving life goals.

Thankyou for considering my contribution. I hope you will find it suitable for your magazine.

Yours faithfully

Gulshan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly described the book, explained its personal impact, and provided a logical justification for why it would influence others. The tone is appropriate for a magazine contribution, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, you could provide a slightly more specific example of a 'small habit' you implemented to make your personal experience feel even more vivid and engaging for the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs covering each prompt requirement, and a polite closing. You use paragraphing effectively to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Instead of', 'As a result', and 'Whether... or' are used to link ideas smoothly. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow. To improve further, ensure that you use a wider variety of linking words and avoid minor mechanical errors, such as the missing article in 'As result' or the missing comma after the opening salutation.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the task, such as 'personal improvement', 'consistent', and 'practical advice'. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'breaking the bad ones' (should be 'breaking bad habits') and 'a employee' (should be 'an employee'). While these do not impede communication, addressing these small inaccuracies and incorporating more sophisticated collocations would help you achieve a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free. However, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as the missing article in 'Whether someone is student' (should be 'a student') and the minor punctuation error in the opening sentence. Despite these, your control over grammar is generally strong, and the errors do not cause any confusion for the reader. Focusing on consistent article usage and subject-verb agreement will further strengthen your accuracy.

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