Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear sir or mam

hope yoy are doing well.i read that in your magazines you include contribute for an article that influence me most. its the great novel named THE LAST LEAF. I it is the novel that influence me more. it gives me hope. moreover the writer tell us that in every odd circumstances never lose hope.and eventually you win all your battles.

in additiion the writer told us about the patient that suffered a serious disease.and every doctor try his best but he knows that one day i will died. n no doctor not save my life. he looked outside the window n saw a tree. he imagined that as the tree,s leaves fell down one day i lost my life. rather then he expressed his feelings with his friend.and his friend fix the last leave so its never fel down. its give the motivation to the drowning man .

in a nutsell this book influence all the people who read the book. beacause its gives us motivation and hope.and give us message that sometimes if we shared our feelings with our friends they have solution of our problam.its covey message that every difficult situation come to en.d if u belive on your self .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points: describing the book, explaining its influence, and discussing its potential impact on others. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the summary of the plot is slightly confusing and contains factual inaccuracies regarding the story (The Last Leaf), which makes the explanation of its influence less impactful. While you have covered the requirements, the response lacks the depth and clarity needed for a higher band. To improve, ensure your summary is accurate and provide more specific, personal examples of how the book changed your perspective or actions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'in additiion' and 'in a nutsell' are used, but the flow between sentences is frequently interrupted by fragmented phrasing and poor punctuation. The logical progression of ideas is sometimes difficult to follow because of the run-on sentences and lack of clear transitions between the plot summary and your personal reflection. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally limited and repetitive. You rely on basic words like 'good', 'give', and 'hope' throughout the text. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'mam' instead of 'Madam', 'yoy' for 'you', 'problam' for 'problem', and 'covey' for 'convey'. These errors, combined with the misuse of words like 'contribute' (instead of 'contributions'), indicate a need for a wider range of vocabulary and better attention to spelling. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and verbs that are relevant to discussing literature and personal feelings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with verb tense consistency ('the writer tell us', 'one day i will died'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or run together without proper punctuation, such as 'no doctor not save my life'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation significantly impacts the readability of the text. You should focus on mastering simple sentence structures before attempting more complex ones, and pay close attention to capitalization and basic verb forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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