Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-23

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 5.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to include my contributions for an article called 'The book that influenced me most'. I am pleased to be one of the contributors.

About two years ago, I read a book about good parenting. It was written by one American writer. The book is about being a better parent, knowing when to stop easy parenting . It described ways of resolving conflicts between kids. The book really influenced me a lot.

This book influenced me by helping me to be coordinated, teaching me on the importance of patience with kids. It changed the ways I react and treat children. I am happy I read a book like that.

I suggest that other people could read this book especially parents and teachers. It would help them in dealing with children on daily basis, knowing when to act or seek for help.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks for your consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Lynda.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the book, explaining its influence, and discussing its potential impact on others. The tone is appropriate for a magazine contribution. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, when describing the book, you mention it is about 'good parenting' and 'resolving conflicts,' but providing a specific example of a lesson learned would have strengthened the response. Similarly, the explanation of how it influenced you is a bit general. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully extended with specific details rather than just stating them briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each bullet point, and a closing. You use basic paragraphing effectively to separate your ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and somewhat mechanical. For example, you rely on simple sentence structures and lack a variety of linking words or transition phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly. To improve, try using a wider range of cohesive devices such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition to this' to create a smoother flow between your sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'parenting,' 'conflicts,' and 'patience.' However, the range is somewhat restricted, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'knowing when to stop easy parenting' and 'teaching me on the importance.' To achieve a higher score, aim to use more precise collocations and a wider range of vocabulary that sounds more natural in a formal or semi-formal context. Expanding your repertoire of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help you express your thoughts with more nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'one American writer' (which should be 'an American writer') and 'teaching me on the importance' (which should be 'teaching me the importance'). Additionally, 'seek for help' is slightly awkward; 'seek help' is more standard. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on improving your control over prepositions and articles to increase the accuracy of your writing.

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

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