Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-26

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,

I Recently went through your book "The Ways" which basically teaches people about how to find a way whenever there is problem in life. There is a line in book which says "trust the process, do not worry about the results" it is the most influenced line in the whole book according to me. Because, it say's that whichever problem's you have in life, at the end if you win or lose, just do your best and live your life to the fullest.

This book helped me to deal with the problem which I passed through recently and I think this is must read book for everyone as it teach people how to deal with the problem and how to stay happy whenever in trouble in life.

Yours sincerely,

Neelkumar Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: describing the book, explaining its influence, and discussing its potential impact on others. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. The description of the book is vague, and the explanation of how it influenced you lacks specific detail or personal context. Furthermore, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. To improve, you should expand on your personal experience with the book and provide more depth regarding why it is a 'must-read' for others.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into two short paragraphs, which is a basic structure. While there is a logical flow, the transitions between ideas are somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited, and the paragraphing is insufficient to fully develop the ideas presented. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider range of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition') to connect your sentences and ideas more fluidly, and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the prompt.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally functional but lacks the range and precision expected for higher bands. Phrases like 'teaches people about how to find a way' and 'most influenced line' are somewhat repetitive and lack sophistication. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'problem's' (pluralization error) and 'must read book' (missing article). To improve, try to incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary related to literature and personal growth, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'I Recently went through' (capitalization error), 'it say's' (incorrect apostrophe usage), and 'it teach people' (subject-verb agreement error). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement, correct punctuation, and consistent capitalization.

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

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