Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-20

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing my contribution for your forthcoming article about the book has had a positive impact on me. It is Atomic Habits written by James Clear. This book made me understand that how a small change in the routine can significantly improve our lives. This book explained about practical aspects based on real challenging situations.

I was not punctual due to the lack of time-management skill. This book guided me on how I can manage my entire calendar and develop good habits. Consequently, I became more disciplined and dedicated. It helped me to improve my abilities and supported me to do consistent efforts.

This book would influence other people positively. Moreover, it inclucates practical advice with real-life examples that anyone can use these in their life to gain valuable experiences. I hope my perspective would be beneficial for your magazine.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Reena Rani

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three points: it identifies Atomic Habits and its subject, explains how it helped you become more disciplined, and states that it could benefit other readers. The personal example about struggling with punctuality and learning to manage your calendar gives the influence section useful support. The book’s content, however, is described rather generally as covering “practical aspects based on real challenging situations”; a clearer account of its central ideas, such as building small habits through consistent routines, would make this part more informative. The claim that “anyone” can benefit is also broad and could be supported with a specific reason or example. The purpose and tone remain appropriate for a contribution to a magazine editor.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is arranged in a clear sequence: you introduce the book, describe its effect on you, and then consider its influence on other people. Separate paragraphs help the reader follow these stages, and links such as “Consequently” and “Moreover” make relationships between ideas explicit. The progression is generally easy to follow, although some connections are a little mechanical, and repeated references to “This book” make the writing less flexible. In the final paragraph, “that anyone can use these in their life” has an unclear reference, which briefly interrupts the flow. You could improve cohesion by varying references—for example, “Clear’s advice”—and making the link between the book’s practical examples and its potential effect on readers more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the letter, including relevant expressions such as “time-management,” “disciplined,” “dedicated,” and “practical advice.” These choices communicate your experience clearly, and the tone is suitable for a magazine contribution. Some less natural word choices and collocations limit precision: “supported me to do consistent efforts” and “inclucates practical advice” do not express your meaning idiomatically, while “real challenging situations” is vague. There is also a spelling error in “inclucates.” Aim to use familiar collocations accurately and choose more specific language when describing the book’s content. For instance, “helped me make consistent efforts” and “offers practical guidance” would sound more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at more complex structures, such as “I was not punctual due to the lack of time-management skill” and “Moreover, it inclucates practical advice with real-life examples that anyone can use these in their life.” Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical errors remain. In the opening, “about the book has had” needs a relative pronoun (“about the book that has had”), and “made me understand that how” should be “made me understand how.” The phrase “a small change in the routine” also needs a more suitable article or plural form, such as “small changes in routines.” In the final relative clause, remove “these” after “that anyone can use.” Checking clause structure, articles, and singular/plural forms would improve accuracy.

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