Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 am writing this letter in order to contribute for an article that i read in magazine named 'The book that influenced me most'.

'Pride and Prejudice' is the name of this book, written by former President of India, Apj abdul kalam. This book describes, how a child despite being born in middle class family, overcame the hardships in his life and became a President.

Although this book is based on life of a single person, it is written in a such a beautiful way that it can be applied on anyone trying to change destiny. I also have learned life- changing things form this book.

I believe this book will influence younsters a lot, as it teaches that with discipline and determination, we can achieve our dreams. Not only this, it also explains the difference between Education and Studies, as learning should be sole motive of a student, though good marks is also an achievment.

I hope you will consider it to be published in your magazine.

yours faithfully

kiujngyh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the book, explaining its influence, and discussing its potential impact on others. However, there is a significant factual error regarding the book's authorship. You attributed 'Pride and Prejudice' to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, whereas it was written by Jane Austen. This inaccuracy impacts the quality of your response, as the description of the book's content does not match the actual title provided. To improve, ensure that your supporting details are factually consistent with the subject matter you choose to write about.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, the description of the book, and the reflection on its influence. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. For example, the transition 'Not only this' is a bit abrupt. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'it can be applied on anyone', where the antecedent is slightly ambiguous. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using phrases like 'overcame the hardships' and 'discipline and determination'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'contribute for an article' (should be 'contribute to') and 'learning should be sole motive' (missing an article). There are also some spelling errors, such as 'younsters' and 'achiewment'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your spelling is accurate, especially for common words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'if' clause or the 'although' construction. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in magazine', 'in a such a beautiful way'), incorrect preposition usage ('applied on' instead of 'applied to'), and punctuation issues (e.g., 'i' should be capitalized). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the clarity of your writing. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.

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