Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The parents of your Australian friend Chris have invited you to a surprise birthday party for him/her. Write a letter to Chris's parents. In your letter:

• say why you think Chris will enjoy the surprise party
• explain why you won't be able to attend the party
• give details of a plan to see Chris at a different time

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Hope this letter finds you in radiant health and best of spirit. How are you all? And what about Chris? I have got your letter a few days ago, but I could not get enough time to send you a reply.

I was so excited after hearing about your surprise party for Chris's birthday. One week ago, when I was chatting with him, he was sound like sad. He thought, none of you had remind his birthday cause all of your were busy with your job and had not enough time to prepare any plan for him. Now,I feel relax and happy that you have already planned a lot.

I am so sorry that I don't think I would be able to attend. My mid-term exams will be started from next week so I had to prepare for it.

But I have another plan to surprise him. I would definitely visit your place in January, after completing my exam. I have already bought a jacket and a branded watch for him. He would be happy to have it.

I hope Chris wil enjoy his birthday with all of you and I would send him a birthday card online and wish him through video call. Thanks again to make me a parrt of your plan.

Sincerely yours,

Dolan Chanda

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points and maintain a suitable, friendly tone for writing to Chris’s parents. The explanation that Chris felt forgotten, followed by the news of their plans, clearly shows why he may enjoy the surprise. You also give a specific reason for not attending—your mid-term exams—and propose visiting in January with gifts. These details make the response relevant and complete. Some ideas, however, are not fully developed: the January visit is mentioned, but you could suggest a particular activity or date, and explain more directly why the surprise itself will delight Chris. The birthday card and video call are useful additional gestures. More precise development of these points would make the letter feel more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, a paragraph about Chris’s likely reaction, an explanation of your absence, and a future plan. This progression makes the purpose easy to follow, and the closing is appropriate. You also use basic links such as “Now,” “But,” and “after completing my exam” to connect ideas. At times, however, the connections feel mechanical or the references are unclear. For example, “I have got your letter” is not clearly linked to the invitation, and “I have another plan to surprise him” could be connected more explicitly to your January visit. Improve cohesion by making each paragraph’s focus clear and using pronouns and transitions that unmistakably refer to the people and plans already mentioned.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for this personal letter, including relevant expressions such as “surprise party,” “mid-term exams,” “prepare,” and “video call.” There are also attempts at more expressive language, such as “radiant health” and “sound like sad,” but some choices are unnatural or inaccurate in context. Phrases including “best of spirit,” “had not enough time,” and “a branded watch” do not sound idiomatic, while “relax” does not convey the intended feeling as naturally as “relieved.” Spelling slips such as “wil” and “parrt” are noticeable, though the message remains understandable. Aim for natural collocations and check spelling carefully; precise, familiar wording is more effective than an ambitious phrase used inaccurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including the explanation beginning “One week ago, when I was chatting with him” and the sentence about visiting after your exams. The main ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “he was sound like sad” has an incorrect verb construction, and “none of you had remind his birthday” has problems with verb form and sentence structure. Tense choices also shift awkwardly in “My mid-term exams will be started … so I had to prepare,” and “I would definitely visit” would be clearer with a consistent future form. Review past-tense forms, auxiliary verbs, and agreement, and punctuate after introductory transitions such as “Now.” More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen the letter.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.