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 Sir or Madam,
I recently came across your request for readers' contributions for the article ‘The Book That Influenced Me Most’, and I would love to share my experience with a book that had a profound impact on my life - "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
This novel, set in the American South during the 1930s, follows the story of a young girl named Scout Finch as she navigates issues of racial injustice, morality, and compassion. Through the eyes of Scout, the reader witnesses her father, Atticus Finch, defend an innocent black man falsely accused of a crime. The book powerfully addresses themes of prejudice, empathy, and standing up for what is right.
Reading this book deeply influenced my perspective on social justice and the importance of treating others with kindness and fairness. It taught me that true courage is not about physical strength but about standing by one’s principles, even in the face of adversity. Since reading it, I have become more conscious of fairness and inclusivity in my daily life.
I strongly believe that To Kill a Mockingbird has the power to influence other readers in the same way it influenced me. Its messages remain relevant in today’s world, encouraging people to challenge discrimination and develop empathy for others. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book that can change their outlook on life.
Thank you for considering my contribution. I look forward to reading the article.
Yours faithfully,
Edith Redford
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use a direct verb Original: follows the story of Suggested revision: follows Why it matters: The shorter verb expresses the same idea more directly.
- 2. Make phrasing concise Original: Through the eyes of Scout Suggested revision: Through Scout’s eyes Why it matters: The possessive form is more concise while preserving the narrative viewpoint.
- 3. Choose a precise verb Original: powerfully addresses themes of Suggested revision: powerfully explores Why it matters: Explores is a precise verb for describing how a novel treats its themes.
- 4. Avoid repeated influence Original: deeply influenced my perspective Suggested revision: profoundly changed my perspective Why it matters: This avoids repeating influence while retaining the strength of the effect.
- 5. Refine parallel structure Original: not about physical strength but about Suggested revision: not found in physical strength but in Why it matters: The paired prepositions create a smoother parallel contrast.
- 6. Reduce wordiness Original: has the power to influence Suggested revision: could influence Why it matters: The modal verb conveys the likelihood more economically.
- 7. Name the literary element Original: messages Suggested revision: themes Why it matters: Themes refers more precisely to the ideas developed in a novel.
- 8. Show personal change Suggested revision: Add one brief, genuine example of how the book changed a choice or action in your daily life. Why it matters: The paragraph states a changed outlook but keeps its practical effect broad.
- 9. Develop wider influence Suggested revision: Explain briefly how the book’s treatment of discrimination or empathy could affect another reader’s outlook. Why it matters: This would support the claim that other people are likely to be influenced rather than only repeating it.
Suggested Rewrites
- follows the story of follows
- Through the eyes of Scout Through Scout’s eyes
- powerfully addresses themes of powerfully explores
- deeply influenced my perspective profoundly changed my perspective
- not about physical strength but about not found in physical strength but in
- has the power to influence could influence
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter fully satisfies the magazine brief with a concise plot description, a thoughtful account of personal influence, and a convincing explanation of its relevance to other readers. Its strongest feature is the precise, mature development of each point in a consistently appropriate register. The main opportunity is refinement rather than repair: trim a little repetition around influence and keep punctuation around the title and dash fully consistent.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully and convincingly developed, and the tone suits a magazine editor.
Condense the final recommendation slightly so the likely influence on others remains distinct from the personal-impact paragraph.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing maps cleanly onto the task requirements, and ideas progress smoothly with effective internal cohesion.
Maintain this structure while reducing repeated forms of "influence" across adjacent paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is flexible, precise, and natural across literary description, personal reflection, and recommendation.
Refine minor repetition by varying "influence" with context-specific terms such as "shape perspectives" or "affect readers" where appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, with only very minor punctuation refinements needed.
Use a consistent typographic style for the book title and replace the spaced hyphen before it with an em dash or colon.
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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.