Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01

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,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to you reading your recent magazine about ' The book that influenced me most.

I read your book, the book is about reason behind the good health. I would like to tell you this book influenced me very much about my health, to be honest after reading your article, I start get up early in the morning and start doing some yoga and running.

I also change my diet routine, and start eat a healthy breakfast instead of just drinking a tea.

In my opinion like me other people may also attract from this book , who are thinking to adapt a good and healthy life-style. After reading your book i had a different kind of mind set reading my health because i used to be sometimes lazy as me other people also will influence by your words.

Thank you for your this good step towards the good health.

sincerely,

khushman.

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 example, while you mention that the book is about 'the reason behind good health,' you do not provide specific details about the book's content or title, which makes the response feel a bit generic. To improve, try to elaborate more on the specific lessons or chapters that resonated with you. The tone is appropriate for a magazine contribution, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the introduction to the personal impact and finally to the broader societal influence. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes repetitive. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures and basic transitions like 'I also' and 'In my opinion.' Paragraphing is also missing; the entire body of the letter is presented as one block of text. To achieve a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' 'as a result') and ensure that your ideas are clearly separated into distinct paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use basic terms like 'good health' and 'lazy' repeatedly. There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'attract from this book' instead of 'be attracted to this book' or 'be inspired by this book.' To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and collocations related to reading and personal development, such as 'transformative,' 'insightful,' or 'adopt a healthier lifestyle.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a basic control of grammar, but there are frequent errors that occasionally hinder the flow of your writing. Examples include 'I am writing this letter to you reading your recent magazine' (which is grammatically awkward), 'I start get up early' (should be 'I started getting up early'), and 'as me other people' (should be 'like me, other people'). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and your control over verb tenses is inconsistent, particularly when shifting between past and present. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.