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
Sample Response
Dear Editor,
I am reaching out to share my profound appreciation for the book that has deeply impacted me: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. This timeless masterpiece talks about the themes of racial injustice, moral development, and empathy in the 1930s in South America.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” has played an important role in broadening my perspective on prejudice and discrimination while nurturing inwithin me a sense of empathy and justicerighteousness. The character of Atticus Finch, with his unwavering dedication to honesty, has served as a role model forto me and has motivated me to stand up for justicestand for justice and equality in my own life.
I strongly believe that “To Kill a Mockingbird” possesses the power to influence others in a similar manner. Its universal themesIt is universal themes and moving narrativenarratives that resonate across diverse audiences, sparking self-reflection and nurturing empathy. Therefore, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a captivating and transformative literary journey.
Warm regards, Reynold Smith
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter addresses all three prompts in a clear, appropriately courteous register, with the explanation of personal influence especially well developed. Its main limitation is occasional imprecision, including the inaccurate setting and the possessive error in “It is universal themes.” Prioritise checking factual details and proofreading possessives and phrasing so the otherwise persuasive response reads more precisely and naturally.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are covered with relevant development, and the courteous register suits a magazine editor.
Make the book description more accurate by placing the story in the American South rather than South America.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is organised into focused paragraphs that move logically from the book's content to its personal and wider influence.
Link the final recommendation more directly to the preceding explanation of why other readers would be influenced.
Lexical Resource
A varied and generally precise vocabulary conveys appreciation, moral influence, and recommendation effectively.
Choose more natural and exact wording where expressions such as “nurturing within me” and “moving narratives” sound strained.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is handled accurately overall, with meaning consistently clear.
Proofread possessive forms carefully, correcting “It is universal themes” to “Its universal themes.”
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
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
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.