Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-25

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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter in regard to the contributions, the magazine have requested. I am fond of reading books. I have read large number of books but there is something that has changed in my life after reading this book.

This book is "The Summer I turned Pretty" by Jenny Han. It follows the story of three individuals Conard, Belly and Jeremiah. The story progresses by showing how they deal with loss, guilt and recognise their true feelings for each other.

I used to prefer reading psychological books because I always considered that the former books lacked depth. But it proved me wrong. This book is about family values and how to deal with complex relationships.

I think youngsters and adults should definitely read it.The synopsis might seem simple at first but when you think deeply about it. It changes the way you see love.

Yours Sincerely

Komalpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: describing the book, explaining its influence, and discussing its potential impact on others. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention the book deals with 'loss, guilt and recognise their true feelings,' you do not elaborate on how these themes specifically influenced your personal perspective. Similarly, the explanation of why it would influence others is brief. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more specific examples or personal anecdotes, ensuring the response feels like a complete, well-developed letter to an editor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'but' and 'because' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and the paragraphing is slightly inconsistent. The transition between your personal preference for psychological books and the book's actual content is a bit abrupt. Using a wider range of cohesive devices, such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition to this,' would help create a smoother progression of ideas and improve the overall readability of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'synopsis' and 'complex relationships.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor errors in word choice, such as 'the former books' (which is used incorrectly here to refer to a category of books). To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and collocations related to literature and personal growth. Expanding your vocabulary will help you express your thoughts with more nuance and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the magazine have requested' (should be 'has'), 'I have read large number of books' (missing an article: 'a large number'), and 'when you think deeply about it. It changes...' (this is a sentence fragment). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentences are complete thoughts rather than fragments. Proofreading for small articles like 'a' and 'the' will also significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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