Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20

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 regarding my favourite book, Wings of Fire. I would like to provide some information about this book and explain how it influenced me. I would be grateful if you could consider my contribution for your article.

To begin with, Wings of Fire is an autobiography written by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. This is because the book describes his childhood, education, career and journey towards becoming a successful scientist and the President of India. For example, he explains the difficulties he faced during his early life and how he continued working towards his dreams. As a result, the book teaches readers important lessons about hard work and determination.

Furthermore, this book influenced me by encouraging me to work harder and remain focused on my goals. In addition to this, it taught me that difficulties and failures are a normal part of achieving success. Therefore, I became more confident and determined to continue working towards my goals.

Finally, I would like to explain whether this book could influence other people. I believe that it would be beneficial because its message about hard work, education and determination is relevant to people from different backgrounds. I would appreciate it if you could consider including my contribution in your article.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Navjeet

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 'Wings of Fire', explained its personal impact on your work ethic and confidence, 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, showing a good understanding of the task requirements. To reach a higher band, you could provide a more specific example of a particular challenge or anecdote from the book to make your personal connection feel even more authentic and engaging for the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each prompt requirement, and a polite closing. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', 'In addition to this', and 'Therefore' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is logical, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of your message without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'autobiography', 'determination', 'relevant to people from different backgrounds', and 'consider my contribution' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations or idiomatic expressions related to literature or personal growth, such as 'a source of inspiration', 'overcoming adversity', or 'a profound impact'. The spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your writing displays a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use relative clauses ('written by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam') and conditional structures effectively. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is used correctly to enhance clarity. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To move towards a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex sentence forms, such as using more varied introductory clauses or inversion to add stylistic flair to your writing.

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