Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-11
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 5.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I am excited to write you this letter and help you with the preparation to surprise Chris for his birthday party.
Chris and I have been bestfriends since we were in kindergarten. I know most of the things that Chris would want to. I have a lot of ideas on how to surprise him. Chris loves to play billiards, have some friends over, sing, swim, and have some games to play on. I am thinking on having his birthday party at the Billiard House and invite his close friends. We don't need to prepare a lot, just bring the materials that we need for the games and of course the foods to eat and some simple designs. For sure, he will appreciate and love this party because this is what he loves to do.
However, I would like to tell you in advance that I won't be able to attend to his birthday party because I am going to my sister's house blessing and I already bought a ticket. Moreover, I would like to ask when are you available to meet me and plan this surprise. I am free during weekends at 9 in the morning until 8 in the evening.
Kind Regards,
Elle
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
You address the main situation and give a relevant reason Chris might enjoy a party, mentioning billiards and time with friends. You also explain that you cannot attend because of your sister’s house blessing and a ticket you have already bought. However, the task asks you to give details of a plan to see Chris at a different time. Instead, you ask his parents when they are available to meet and plan the surprise, so the proposed meeting is not clearly a separate visit with Chris. The party suggestions are also somewhat confusing because you appear to be advising the parents how to organise it, rather than simply explaining why Chris would enjoy their surprise. Make each required point explicit and develop the alternative plan with a specific day, activity, and arrangement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The letter has a clear overall shape: an opening, a paragraph about the party, and a final paragraph covering your absence and a possible meeting. The transition “However” helps signal the change in topic, and the ideas within the party paragraph are generally connected. Some progression is less clear, though: the list of Chris’s interests moves into detailed party arrangements, then the final question about meeting the parents shifts away from the requested plan to see Chris. The sequence of “Moreover” and the availability details does not fully clarify what the meeting is for. Use separate, focused paragraphs for the party, your apology, and the alternative visit, and connect each with clear references to who will meet whom and when.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “surprise,” “close friends,” “available,” and “appreciate.” There is some variety in describing Chris’s interests and the party arrangements. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise, such as “help you with the preparation to surprise Chris,” “games to play on,” and “house blessing.” “Bestfriends” is also incorrectly written as one word. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they make parts of the letter sound less natural. Aim for familiar, accurate collocations and check compound words and spelling. For example, describe helping with “the preparations for Chris’s surprise party,” and say that Chris enjoys “playing games” rather than “games to play on.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and most of the message remains understandable. The reason for your absence is expressed clearly, and you use clauses such as “because I am going to my sister’s house blessing.” Some grammatical errors remain, including “I know most of the things that Chris would want to,” where the sentence is incomplete, and “I am thinking on having,” where the verb pattern is incorrect. The question “when are you available” also needs indirect-question word order after “ask.” Review verb patterns, complete sentence structure, and indirect questions. For instance, write “I am thinking of having the party…” and “I would like to ask when you are available.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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