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)

Hello sir

I m from your back side of the city when I passed through a stationary i suddenly show your book which was written by you this book i bought three months ago i read it multiple times and this book is full of motivation give me new energy and before this book i was such a lazy person whole day i only read the comdey commix and using phone and video games but after reading this motivational book i taken out my self from there loop of laziness but now I am fully motivated by that kind of book i see a paragraph in this book it was on laziness is key of priority so I break out this lazy loop of me and after it I start working hard now I'm very successful This book change my whole life thanks for your help by this book

Your grateful

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: it describes the book, explains its influence, and touches on its potential impact on others. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited and lacks depth. For instance, the description of the book is vague, and the explanation of how it influenced the writer is repetitive and lacks specific detail. The tone is also inconsistent with a letter to a magazine editor, as it reads more like a casual, informal message. To improve, you should expand on your ideas with more descriptive language and ensure the tone is appropriate for a formal publication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. The text is essentially one long, run-on sentence structure. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas together; the transition between the description of the book and the personal impact is abrupt. While the overall message is understandable, the lack of logical sequencing and proper paragraph structure significantly hinders the flow of the writing. Using transition words like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' would help improve the logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying on simple words like 'book', 'lazy', and 'motivated'. There are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'back side of the city' and 'comdey commix'. The phrasing is often unnatural, which limits the ability to convey ideas with precision. To reach a higher band, you need to expand your range of vocabulary and use more sophisticated terms that are appropriate for a formal letter. Focus on learning collocations and synonyms to avoid repeating the same words throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The grammar is weak, with frequent errors that impede readability. There is a lack of punctuation, which results in a series of run-on sentences. Tense usage is inconsistent, such as 'I taken out my self' instead of 'I took myself out' and 'This book change' instead of 'This book changed'. There is almost no use of complex sentence structures, and the basic sentence construction is often faulty. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of past and present tenses.

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