Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-27

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 you are doing well! I am writing this letter to inform you that I read an article about the book influce me most in your magazine and I want to share my opinion with you.

I read different genres of books but I love the one book called "How to control Mind". This book is written by famous author Richard James. In this book he writes about the different techniques to control the mind and how to direct into other things. This book published in 2011. I read this book multiple times and I found out that it really helped me alot. I used few tricks top divert my mind and control an overthinking sometimes. When I used tricks after that I felt more focused and relaxed. People who are an evite reader they will definatily like this book and this book have a great impression on my mind. I will gift this book to all of my friends.

Yours faithfully,

Jay Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you identify the book and its subject, explain that its techniques helped you manage overthinking and feel more focused, and give your view that other readers may enjoy it. These details make the letter relevant and give the reader a clear sense of your personal response. However, the description of the book’s content is brief, and the claim that it would influence other people is not fully explained; for example, say what kinds of readers might benefit and why. The opening also says you read an article about the book in the magazine, which is confusing because the task asks you to contribute your own account. Develop these points more clearly and directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, a paragraph about the book and its effect, and an appropriate closing. The ideas generally follow a sensible order: you introduce the title, describe its subject, then explain your personal experience and recommendation. Some connections are less clear, however. The opening sentence about reading an article in the magazine does not lead naturally into your contribution, and the long middle paragraph combines several points without clear separation. Phrases such as “after that” help show sequence, but the repeated use of “this book” makes the flow somewhat mechanical. Use a clearer opening and divide the book description from your personal influence and recommendation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “techniques,” “overthinking,” “focused,” and “relaxed.” However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, such as “influce,” “alot,” “definatily,” and “evite reader.” Some expressions are also unnatural, including “direct into other things” and “have a great impression on my mind.” These choices may make the reader pause, even though the overall message remains understandable. Aim for more accurate collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the book as offering strategies to manage thoughts, and explain that it had a lasting impact on you.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main message is usually understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For instance, “This book published in 2011” needs a passive verb form, while “this book have a great impression” has an agreement problem and an unnatural grammatical pattern. In “how to direct into other things,” the structure is incomplete because the object of “direct” is missing. The sentence beginning “People who are…” also has a faulty clause structure. Practise forming complete clauses and checking subject–verb agreement, and use a wider range of accurate complex sentences to express cause and effect.

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