Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-28

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 5.0)

dear sir , the book that i want to talk about is one of my favorite book called ielts it influenced me the most it is the book due to which i started learning english and also many vocabulary which i did't know before reading this book i would say its like a life changer for me at starting i don't really understand at this book bcs mostly its based on critical english words but at the time pased i slowly understand and it gives me alot of knowledge as well as this book boosts my confidence level. i would definitely prefer ielts to people it gave alots of help to the people specially those who want to learn english but they don't speak very well there are many words which they need to know its depends on u how much time u gave to this book if u gave much time u will improve ur knowledge

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the main points by naming the book, describing it as a source of English vocabulary, explaining that it increased your knowledge and confidence, and recommending it to learners. However, the description of what the book is about remains vague: “mostly its based on critical english words” does not clearly explain its content or purpose. The influence is more specific, but the final point is generalised to people who want to learn English, without explaining why this particular book would affect them similarly. The letter also lacks a closing and a clear magazine-style presentation. Develop each point with a concrete example, and make the recommendation more directly connected to the book’s qualities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The ideas are broadly relevant and follow a basic sequence: you introduce the book, describe your experience of reading it, and recommend it. However, the response is presented as one long, largely unpunctuated block, so the reader has to work to identify where one idea ends and another begins. Connections such as “at starting,” “but at the time,” and “as well as” do not consistently make the progression clear, and the repeated use of “this book” and “it” can make references feel unclear. Use separate paragraphs for the book’s content, its effect on you, and its likely effect on others. Add a conventional closing and use a few accurate linking phrases to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary to communicate the topic, including “vocabulary,” “knowledge,” and “confidence level,” and phrases such as “life changer” convey the strength of your reaction. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, including “gave alots of help” and “critical english words.” Informal forms such as “bcs” and “u” are not suitable for a letter to a magazine editor, while spelling and word-form errors such as “did't” and “alots” reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise descriptions of the book and its benefits, and use standard written forms throughout. This will make your meaning clearer and the tone more appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect several ideas in longer sentences, for example by using “which” and “but,” but these structures are often difficult to follow because of frequent errors in sentence boundaries, verb forms, and agreement. Examples include “at starting i don't really understand at this book,” “the time pased i slowly understand,” and “its depends on u.” Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent: the response begins with a lowercase greeting and has few full stops, creating run-on sentences. These errors sometimes make the intended meaning harder to understand. Practise writing shorter, complete sentences first, then combine them with accurate clauses and check verb tense and subject–verb agreement.

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