Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins

Hope you are doing okay.

I am writing in regered to the invitation to chris surprise birthday party.

I am sure he would be so excited about the party and and will really enjoy the suprise party, he has always talked about having a suprise birthday party and now he would be getting one and i am so excited and happy for him.

But unfortunately i would not be able to attend the suprise party because i recently lost a close family memeber and the burial of this relative of mine is on the same day as the suprise party for chris pls accept my sincere apologise and also extend my apologise to chris.

I promise to come visiting chris immediately after the burial ceremony with my gifts to chris

Please accept my apologises again thank you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three required points: you explain that Chris has wanted a surprise party, give a clear reason for your absence, and propose visiting after the burial. The explanation that the burial is on the same day is relevant, and your apology suits the letter’s purpose. However, the reason Chris will enjoy the party is repeated rather than developed, and the alternative plan is vague: “immediately after the burial ceremony” does not specify when you expect to visit or check whether Chris will be available. The response also falls 8 words short of the 150-word minimum. Add a little detail about Chris’s likely reaction and make the proposed visit more specific to address the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a sensible order: you respond to the invitation, explain why Chris will enjoy the party, give your reason for not attending, and suggest another time to meet. This makes the letter understandable overall. The paragraph breaks also help separate the main points. However, some connections are repetitive or awkward, particularly the repeated use of “surprise party” and the two apologies at the end. The opening and closing could also be more clearly shaped as a personal letter. Use a brief transition such as “Although I’m disappointed to miss it” and finish with a concise, warm closing. These changes would make the progression smoother and cohesion less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main message, and phrases such as “close family member,” “burial,” and “sincere apologies” are relevant to the situation. However, the range is limited, with “surprise party” and “apologise” repeated, and several spelling or word-choice errors reduce accuracy: “regered,” “suprise,” “memeber,” and “apologises.” The phrase “come visiting” is also not natural in this context. Aim to check spelling carefully and use a few precise alternatives rather than repeating the same wording. For example, you could refer to the event as “the celebration” after introducing the party, and say “visit Chris” when describing your plan.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate the main ideas using both simple sentences and a longer sentence explaining why you cannot attend. That longer structure shows an attempt to connect related information, and the meaning is generally clear. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “I am writing in … the invitation,” the sentence needs the pattern “in response to.” The opening “Hope you are doing okay” omits its subject, and “I promise to come visiting” uses an awkward verb construction. There are also inconsistent capital letters for “Chris” and “I,” and the first sentence about the party contains a repeated “and.” Practise accurate sentence patterns and proofread punctuation and capitalization while retaining your attempts at longer sentences.

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

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