Letter to a Magazine About an Influential Book

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,

Annotated response

4 correction notes

I am excited to share with you a book that has made a huge impact recently: “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger. This classic book follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager dealing with growing up and society’s expectations.

I was able to resonate with my life with this book as it clearly captured the confusion and doubt of being a teenager. Holden’s search for truth in a world full of lies mirrored my own struggles that I came across as a teenager. Moreover, it made me think about what I stand for and who I want to be.

I firmly believe that “The Catcher in the Rye” possesses the ability to connect with readers across generations, as it deals with the universal themes of identity, isolation, and the search for the meaning of life. Its unfiltered portrayal of adolescence and emotional depth make it a timeless narrative capable of shaping and motivating individuals for years to come.

Rishab Patel

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.0

The letter is well-organised, addresses all three bullet points, and uses a suitably formal yet engaged tone with relevant detail. Its main limitation is the slightly thin description of the book's content and a few awkward phrasings that reduce precision.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

Task Achievement

7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points with a clear purpose and appropriate tone, though the description of the book's content is brief and the opening does not follow the required 'Dear Sir or Madam' format.

Coherence and Cohesion

7.5

Ideas progress logically across well-linked paragraphs with effective use of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'as it deals with', giving the letter a clear and fluent flow.

Lexical Resource

7.0

Vocabulary is reasonably varied and precise, including phrases like 'universal themes of identity, isolation', though some collocations are unnatural, such as 'resonate with my life with this book'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

7.0

A good range of sentence structures is used with generally strong control, and errors such as the awkward 'I was able to resonate with my life with this book' are occasional and non-impeding.

More responses with feedback

View all 7 responses (7.0–8.0)