Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29

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 write this letter with reference to the contributions that you seek from your readers for an article named *The book that influenced me most*. I would be delighted to offer few suggestions.

This book is no other than *SELF*. The book termed SELF thought me that the outcome of my life depends on me and the decisions I make in life. It highlights that I should hold myself accountable for my choice of living, I think it shapes my human interactions and relationships.

However, this book has influenced me greatly because it made me become intentional about my adult life mostly exercising, healthy eating and spending habits. This is resulting to my healthy lifestyle.

Furthermore, I think this article will affect other people in a positive way. For instance, I recommended it to my cousin and she have not read to the last chapter yet but she has given me a wonderful feedback.

Overall, I look forward to your prompt response. Let me know if you need further information.

Yours sincerely,

Rosemary Adibe

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the book, explain its influence on your lifestyle, and suggest its potential impact on others. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the book's content is quite brief, and the explanation of how it influenced your habits could be expanded with more specific examples. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with supporting details rather than just stating the facts. The tone is appropriate for a letter to an editor, and the purpose of the writing is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'Furthermore' to transition between ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, some of the connections between sentences feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is mostly clear, though the transition between the book's description and its influence could be more fluid. Overall, the structure is easy to follow, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different requirements of the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'accountable', 'intentional', and 'prompt'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'This is resulting to my healthy lifestyle' (should be 'resulting in') and 'The book termed SELF thought me' (should be 'taught me'). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and prepositions. Expanding your vocabulary to include more sophisticated collocations would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'she have not read' (subject-verb agreement) and 'I would be delighted to offer few suggestions' (missing article 'a'). Additionally, the phrase 'This book is no other than SELF' is slightly awkward. While you attempt complex structures, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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