Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-18

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 7.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to your request for readers to share their thoughts about a book that has influenced their lives. For me, the book that had the greatest impact was The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.

The book is mainly about personal development and explains how people can become more effective in both their personal and professional lives. It discusses several important habits, such as being proactive, setting clear goals, managing time wisely, and trying to understand others before expecting them to understand us.

This book influenced me because it changed the way I approach problems and responsibilities. Previously, I sometimes focused too much on circumstances that were outside my control. After reading the book, I started concentrating more on my own actions and decisions. It also encouraged me to organize my priorities better instead of simply dealing with whatever seemed urgent at the time.

I believe this book can influence many other people as well, particularly those who want to improve their careers, relationships, or daily routines. The ideas are practical and can be applied to almost any lifestyle or profession. However, readers need to make a genuine effort to put these principles into practice rather than simply reading about them.

Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully and effectively addresses all bullet points outlined in the prompt. The writer successfully describes the book chosen, explaining its core focus on personal development and specific habits. Furthermore, the writer clearly explains how the book impacted their approach to problem-solving and prioritization. Finally, the response covers whether the book would likely influence others, noting its practical applicability while adding a nuanced caveat regarding the reader's own effort. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant details throughout, fulfilling the requirements of Band 8.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Each paragraph serves a clear function aligned with the prompt requirements, progressing smoothly from an introduction to a description of the book, personal impacts, and finally potential effects on others. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and cohesive devices such as 'Previously', 'After reading the book', and 'However' are handled well to guide the reader through the text without mechanical transitions. This demonstrates solid organizational control deserving of a Band 7.5 score, rounded to 8.0 based on natural progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully integrating less common lexical items such as 'personal development', 'proactive', 'priorities', and 'lifestyle'. Word choice is generally precise, and collocation is natural, as seen in phrases like 'genuine effort' and 'put these principles into practice'. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. While it stops short of the flexible, sophisticated control required for Band 8, the lexical resource comfortably meets the criteria for Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer exhibits good control of grammar and punctuation, utilizing a healthy mix of simple and complex sentence forms. Examples of complex structures include 'I am writing in response to your request for readers to share...' and '...trying to understand others before expecting them to understand us.' The majority of sentences are error-free, and minor errors are absent. Punctuation is accurate throughout, and verbs, tenses, and agreements are handled reliably. This consistent control aligns well with the Band 8 descriptor for grammatical accuracy and sentence variety.

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