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

5 correction notes

I am my profound appreciation for the book that has deeply impacted me: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. This timeless masterpiece the themes of racial injustice, moral development, and empathy in the 1930s in .

“To Kill a Mockingbird” has played an important role in broadening my perspective on prejudice and discrimination while nurturing within me a sense of empathy and righteousness. The character of Atticus Finch, with his unwavering dedication to honesty, has served as a and has motivated me to stand 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. It is universal themes and moving narratives 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

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.5

The letter's greatest strength is its fluent, well-chosen vocabulary and clear coverage of all three bullet points with a suitably formal tone. The main limitation is a small number of inaccurate or awkward statements, most notably the claim that the novel is set in South America, which slightly undermines the credibility of the content.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

Task Achievement

7.0

All three bullet points are clearly addressed with relevant detail and a consistently appropriate formal register, though the factual error placing the setting in South America weakens the accuracy of the content.

Coherence and Cohesion

7.5

The letter is well organised into logical paragraphs with smooth progression and effective cohesive devices, with only a slightly stilted transition into the recommendation.

Lexical Resource

7.5

Vocabulary is flexible and precise, featuring natural collocations such as unwavering dedication, broadening my perspective, and transformative literary journey, with only minor awkwardness in one emphatic structure.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

7.0

A good range of complex structures is used with generally strong control, and occasional awkward phrasing such as It is universal themes and moving narratives that resonate does not impede meaning.

More responses with feedback

View all 7 responses (7.0–8.0)