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 or Madam,

I hope you are doing well today,

I read your magazine in which I liked your famous article called 'The book that influenced me most'. Well the book is about to encourage whom who would depressed or ancious about their results. As many younger people take their lives because they did not achieve what they want.

Well I recently gave my exam for IELTS test, and I am exhausted about my results. While I am just reading some magazine so your title inpressed me and wanted me to read this. When I read this my mind get relaxed, and I take a deep breath. Because 'win or loss is a part of our life' this single sentence inspired me a lot.

I would say this book definetly influence on those who take their lives after their bad results. You are the best editior in the world I said to my mom.

I am delighted you will written many such articles who influenced people in a better way.

Thank you,

Best wishes,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You described the book's purpose, explained its personal impact, and provided an opinion on its potential to influence others. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, you mention the book's theme of 'win or loss' but do not provide the title or author, which makes the description vague. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide more specific details about the content of the book. The tone is generally appropriate for a magazine contribution, though the structure is slightly informal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the introduction to the personal impact and finally the broader influence. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, you start two consecutive paragraphs with 'Well', which is not ideal for formal or semi-formal writing. Paragraphing is present, but the transitions between ideas could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, which makes the overall structure feel a bit disjointed at times.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some basic errors in word choice, such as 'ancious' (anxious) and 'inpressed' (impressed). There is also a reliance on simple vocabulary like 'good' or 'best'. While you attempt to express complex emotions, the lack of variety in your word choice limits your score. To improve, focus on using more precise adjectives and verbs, and ensure you check your spelling of common words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of your writing. Examples include 'whom who would depressed' (who might be depressed) and 'you will written' (you have written). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are areas that need significant attention. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for tense errors will help improve your accuracy.

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