Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-30

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 hope this letter finds you well. i am writing to express my interest regarding the advert i saw on the daily newspaper to include contribution to an article named "the book that influenced me most"

i want to express my immense gratitude for your support and contribution during the book launch of one of our lecturer on the book titled "man of the the moment". the book was intended on the younger generation and how to build a better society,

i am thrilled about how the book have help reshape my ideas on how to make a genuine and long lasting wealth. the book is one of the writings that i have read that will make a good impact, therefor it can be applied to make a better society.

the book can make a great influence on a good number of people if it can be made available to the university students who are keen to becoming successful after their third grade level.

thank you in anticipation to you favorable response.

Yours faithfully

origbakpor fidelis

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt, which is a positive start. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the book 'Man of the Moment' and its focus on the younger generation, the description of the content remains vague. Similarly, your explanation of how it influenced you is brief and lacks specific examples of how your perspective changed. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your personal experiences and provide more detailed reasoning for why the book would influence others. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to an editor, but ensure your ideas are fully explored to meet the requirements of the task more comprehensively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a basic structure, but the paragraphing is inconsistent and does not effectively separate the different points requested in the prompt. While you use some cohesive devices like 'therefore' and 'however', the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. The transition between your introduction and the body of the letter is abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus. Additionally, ensure that your referencing is clear; for example, the connection between the book launch and your personal influence could be more logically linked to improve the overall progression of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on some repetitive phrasing, such as 'contribution' and 'influence'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'keen to becoming' (should be 'keen to become') and 'third grade level' (which is not standard terminology for university years). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to literature and personal development, and pay closer attention to standard collocations. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help you convey your ideas with greater impact and clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede readability. For instance, there are issues with subject-verb agreement ('the book have help') and missing articles ('on the daily newspaper'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several missing capital letters at the start of sentences and improper use of commas. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the text from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading your work to correct basic grammatical slips, such as verb tenses and pluralization, and ensure consistent capitalization throughout your writing.

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

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