Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-13

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 4.5)

Dear, Mr and Mrs Collins.

I hope you are doing well. I am very excited to see you all after such a long time.

Me and Chris enjoy a lot of parties together. I know how badly he loves the parties. That is why, I think he will like the surprise party, because Chris loves to dance as well as meeting with new people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

You begin appropriately and give one relevant reason Chris may enjoy the party: he likes dancing and meeting new people. However, the response addresses only this part of the task, and even this idea is briefly stated rather than developed. You do not explain why you cannot attend, or propose a different time and plan to see Chris. The letter therefore leaves two essential points unanswered. It is also substantially below the required 150 words, which limits how much information you can provide. To improve, cover all three bullet points explicitly, adding a clear explanation and practical details for each—for example, when you could meet Chris and what you could do together.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The ideas are presented in a basic, understandable order: you greet the parents, express enthusiasm, and then explain why Chris might enjoy the party. The reason is linked with “That is why” and “because,” so the reader can follow the connection. However, the response ends before it develops into a complete letter, with no transition to your absence or an alternative meeting plan. The opening also moves quickly from addressing the parents to saying you are excited to see “you all,” without clarifying the purpose of the letter. Organise the response into a greeting, a paragraph covering the party and your reason for missing it, and a closing paragraph proposing a specific time to meet.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main idea, using familiar expressions such as “surprise party,” “dance,” and “meeting with new people.” The wording is generally understandable, but the range is narrow and some phrases are not natural in this context. “How badly he loves the parties” is an awkward way to express enthusiasm; “how much he enjoys parties” would be more idiomatic. “Me and Chris enjoy a lot of parties together” is also imprecise: “Chris and I have enjoyed many parties together” communicates the idea more clearly. Use a few more precise expressions, such as “celebrate,” “look forward to,” or “catch up,” while keeping the tone warm and suitable for a personal letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use simple sentences and one longer sentence with a reason clause, as in “I think he will like the surprise party, because Chris loves to dance…” The main meaning is clear, but the range of structures is limited, and there are noticeable errors in sentence formation and punctuation. In “Me and Chris enjoy…,” the subject pronoun should be “Chris and I.” The opening “Dear, Mr and Mrs Collins.” uses an unnecessary comma and a full stop where a comma is expected after the salutation. The sentence beginning “That is why” is also awkwardly punctuated before “because.” Practise accurate letter conventions and vary sentence patterns, for example by combining a clear explanation with a time clause about when you could meet.

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

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